Mr Gabriel Ng, 39, does not like alcohol, so he was surprised to learn that he had a fatty liver that put him at risk of further organ damage.
He did not even have any symptoms to alert him that he had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
"I got to know by accident," says the supply chain manager. "It's a silent condition, so many don't know about it until they get to a bad state."
In 2021, he contracted a viral infection that gave him diarrhea and left him so dehydrated that he had to go to the hospital.
The blood tests at that time indicated elevated levels of liver enzymes, which required further investigation.
A biopsy done later found that he had fibrosis or scarring of the liver, which put him at increased risk of developing liver cancer or other complications of the organ.
The good news is that weight loss, diet and exercise can help control or even reverse non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
After his diagnosis, Mr Ng cut down on eating fried and fatty foods, and increased his physical activity. He also takes the GLP-1 agonist liraglutide to help suppress his appetite.
He has lost some weight and his doctor says his prognosis is good if he continues to sustain his weight loss.
Mr Ng is now committed to a healthy lifestyle, despite the challenges. He is working while doing a master's degree in business administration and caring for his two daughters, aged four and six. His wife works in quality control.
"Having to eat the kids' leftovers is disrupting my diet," he says with a laugh.
TWO IN FIVE IN SINGAPORE COULD HAVE THIS DISEASE
An estimated 40 per cent of the Singapore population has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to some studies, and the prevalence is estimated to rise.
It is diagnosed when there is evidence of steatosis or fat build-up in the liver not attributable to alcohol consumption, medications or other causes of chronic liver disease.
Denne historien er fra December 04, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra December 04, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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CALLIGRAPHY IS BIG WITH ARTIST
The boulders hiding in the alcove of Tong Yang-tze's (right) Taipei apartment testify to this Taiwanese calligrapher's daunting perfectionism. They are paper - remnants of discarded artworks, crumpled together like used tissues and soaked into inky wads of pulp. Hundreds of old drafts of writing, including many of her efforts to draw Chinese poetry at a monumental scale, have been recycled into these rocks over the years, most recently as she worked on her commission for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which debuted on Nov 21.
Mattel sued over Wicked dolls with porn website link
LOS ANGELES - Mattel was sued on Dec 3 by a South Carolina mother for mistakenly putting a link to a pornographic website on packaging for dolls tied to the blockbuster movie Wicked.
Taiwanese musician-director Liu Chia-chang a composer of hit songs
Famed veteran Taiwanese musician and director Liu Chia-chang has died at the age of 81.
Actress Kristal Tin reveals lung cancer diagnosis
Former TVB actress Kristal Tin revealed on Instagram on Dec 3 that she has undergone successful surgery for lung cancer.
South Korean entertainment schedules up in the air
SEOUL - Schedules of performances and interviews in South Korea have been thrown into a state of uncertainty by a sudden martial law declaration that was lifted only a few hours later.
Host Dasmond Koh surprised by martial law edict while in Seoul for work
Upheaval in Seoul, South Korea
Squid Game returns to end 2024 with a bang
In this monthly column, The Straits Times' streaming picks for December include the long-awaited second season of the survivalist hit Squid Game (2021 to present) and its non-lethal equivalent.
Flow speaks Volumes, The Room Next Door a thin melodrama
In the wake of a devastating flood, a cat finds refuge with motley stranded animals on a tattered sailboat.
Funeral rites come alive in The Last Dance
The Hong Kong drama offers fascinating glimpses into the city's funeral traditions
Tolkien and anime work well together, says Japanese director
NEW YORK - It has been a decade since the work of fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien last appeared on the big screen.