Strengthening screening for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is essential to preventing deterioration
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) released the findings of its latest global survey in 2025:
Two in five people with diabetes have experienced negative treatment at work, and one in four feels uncomfortable injecting insulin or checking blood glucose in the workplace.
These figures highlight a fact: daily diabetes management itself places a substantial psychological burden on people and affects everyday life.
In today’s workplace, people with diabetes must monitor changes in blood glucose, take medication on schedule, adjust their diet, and arrange follow-up appointments. They also frequently encounter a lack of understanding, discrimination, or a workplace culture unwilling to support the needs of people with chronic conditions.
While already carrying this substantial burden, patients often overlook another equally important but quieter health threat: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Why is MASLD screening particularly important for people with diabetes?
Research has shown that the interaction between diabetes and MASLD is one of the most dangerous combinations in metabolic disease.
- The risk of having MASLD among people with diabetes is as high as 70%.
- When fatty liver disease is also present, liver fibrosis progresses more rapidly and the risk of liver cancer is higher.
- MASLD is an important but frequently overlooked contributor to increased mortality among people with diabetes.
- MASLD has no symptoms in its early stages. Without proactive screening, the opportunity for intervention is often missed.
The IDF survey showed that many people with diabetes experience stress and anxiety even when managing their blood glucose each day, making it still harder to notice changes in the liver that cause no pain at all.
However, once liver fibrosis or cirrhosis has developed, the damage is often irreversible.
For people with diabetes, identifying coexisting MASLD early therefore goes beyond monitoring liver function: it is a final line of defense before health deteriorates.
Which MASLD assessments should people with diabetes receive regularly?
According to international consensus and the latest clinical guidelines, people with diabetes are advised to:
- Undergo a noninvasive liver assessment at least once every 1–2 years, using:
- FibroScan (liver stiffness measurement)
- The FIB-4 liver fibrosis risk score
- Be referred to a liver specialist if there is a substantial risk of liver fibrosis (FIB-4 > 2.67).
World Diabetes Day is about reducing overall risk
The IDF research shows that people with diabetes already face substantial psychological, physical, and workplace pressures in everyday life.
In the demanding context of chronic disease management, proactively helping patients understand their MASLD risk is therefore an important step toward preventing deterioration and reducing premature death.
Regular MASLD screening can help patients stop liver disease from worsening before symptoms appear.
KMU’s Center for Metabolic Disorders and Obesity: protecting your metabolic health
We are committed to providing scientific, noninvasive assessment of metabolic liver disease and to investigating risk factors, early warning signs, and interventions for metabolic diseases.
On World Diabetes Day, our message is clear:
Diabetes care must address liver health as well as blood glucose control.
Start MASLD screening now.