Health 09/12/2025 20:06

Thin as a “Walking Skeleton” but Still Diagnosed With Fatty Liver: Doctors Reveal 6 Causes

Fatty liver disease is often thought to affect only people who are overweight.
But doctors warn this is a dangerous misconception: many very thin people are also developing fatty liver, sometimes even more severely than those with obesity.

A recent case shocked doctors when a patient who looked “as thin as a cicada shell” was diagnosed with advanced fatty liver.
Specialists emphasize that body weight alone does not determine liver health — and that several hidden factors can quietly damage the liver over time.

Below are the six most common causes, with the last one affecting a surprisingly large number of people.

1. Excessive Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates

People who are thin but consume large amounts of:

sugary drinks
desserts
white rice
noodles
pastries

can accumulate fat in the liver even without gaining visible weight.

2. Genetic Predisposition

Some individuals inherit genes that make their liver more sensitive to fat buildup, regardless of body size.

3. Lack of Muscle Mass

Very thin people often have low muscle mass, which reduces the body’s ability to use glucose and fat efficiently.
As a result, fat is more likely to be deposited in the liver.

4. Malnutrition and Irregular Eating

Skipping meals, surviving on snacks, or eating too little protein can disrupt liver metabolism and lead to fat accumulation.

5. Heavy Alcohol Consumption

Even light or moderate drinking can cause alcoholic fatty liver in people with low body weight, because their tolerance is often lower.

6. Sedentary Lifestyle — the Most Common Cause**

Doctors stress that many thin people:

sit for long hours
rarely exercise
have weak metabolism

This lack of activity reduces fat burning and encourages fat storage in the liver.
It is now considered one of the leading causes of fatty liver in people who “look healthy.”