Some experts suggest that fatty liver disease will be the next big metabolic disorder associated with obesity and inactivity.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects upwards of 29 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While it causes no symptoms or complications for many, in some the disease can inflame and scar the liver and, at its most severe, progress to liver failure. However its effects also extend to heart health: It’s associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes, two conditions that raise the risk of cardiovascular problems.

With this in mind, many experts are calling for it to be included in the metabolic syndrome criteria, and Elizabeth Ricanati, MD, director of Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute’s Lifestyle 180 program, agrees. "Current literature supports the idea that…

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