4th Edition 2026

Parental body weight may be a significant risk factor for liver disease.

Published on: Feb 24, 2026

A new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals that a person’s risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) may begin before birth and is strongly linked to their parents’ body weight.

Analyzing data from nearly 2,000 participants in a long-term U.K. birth cohort, researchers found that higher parental BMI during early pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of MASLD in offspring by their mid-20s. For every one-unit increase in maternal or paternal BMI, the child’s risk of liver disease rose by up to 10%.

Maternal obesity was linked to nearly three times the odds of MASLD in children, while paternal obesity increased the risk by 1.7 times. When both parents were overweight or obese, the child’s risk more than tripled.

Previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, MASLD affects nearly 40% of U.S. adults and is a leading cause of liver transplants. Because it often shows no early symptoms, it remains underdiagnosed even in young adults.

The findings suggest that obesity’s impact may span generations, highlighting the importance of prevention efforts starting as early as preconception and pregnancy to reduce future liver disease risk.

Source: https://medicine.washu.edu/news/a-risk-factor-for-liver-disease-your-parents-body-weight/

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