Fatty liver means extra fat has settled inside your liver. In its early grades it can often be reduced by losing weight, cutting sugar and fried food, walking daily and controlling sugar and cholesterol. Dr Raman Garg, surgical gastroenterologist at Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Bathinda, Punjab, India, explains the diet, the tests and the warning signs.
What fatty liver actually is
Your liver is a filter and a fuel store. A small amount of fat in it is normal. When fat makes up more than about 5 percent of its weight, doctors call it fatty liver. Most people feel nothing. It is usually found by chance on an ultrasound done for some other reason.
There are two broad types. The first comes from alcohol. The second has nothing to do with alcohol and is linked to belly fat, high sugar, high cholesterol and a sitting life. The second type is now very common in Punjab, even in people who never touch a drink.
A simple way to remember the grades seen on ultrasound:
| Grade | What it means | Usual direction |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Mild fat | Often improves with diet and exercise |
| Grade 2 | Moderate fat | Needs a firm plan and blood tests |
| Grade 3 | Heavy fat | Needs a doctor to check for scarring |
Who gets it in our area
Picture a 42 year old shopkeeper from Goniana Mandi. He sits at the counter ten hours a day, eats parathas with butter, drinks sweet lassi and takes two cups of sugary tea. His waist is 40 inches and his sugar is borderline. He is the classic fatty liver patient. Farmers who have moved from heavy field work to tractor and phone, truck drivers who eat at dhabas, and women who cook rich food but rarely walk are also common.
The main risk factors are:
- Belly fat and weight gain
- Diabetes or high sugar readings
- High cholesterol or triglycerides
- Regular alcohol
- Very little walking or exercise
- Fast weight loss crash diets, which can also stress the liver
Signs you should not ignore
Mild fatty liver gives no signs. When it is heavy, you may feel tired, have a dull ache on the upper right side of the belly, or feel full quickly. These signs are vague, so tests matter more than symptoms.
Fatty liver diet that works in a Punjabi kitchen
You do not need costly salads or imported oats. You need to change what is already on your plate.
- Replace sweet drinks, cold drinks, packaged juice and sugary tea with water, plain buttermilk (chaas) or tea with little or no sugar.
- Eat roti made from mixed flour (wheat with a little chana or jowar) instead of only maida or naan.
- Fill half your plate with sabzi: lauki, tori, palak, methi, carrot, cabbage.
- Have dal, rajma, chana, paneer made at home, eggs or fish for protein instead of fried snacks.
- Use mustard oil or groundnut oil in small quantity. Skip deep fried pakoras, samosas and bhature on most days.
- Eat a fruit in the morning, not fruit juice. Keep very sweet fruits like mango and grapes small.
- Stop alcohol fully if your liver is already fatty.
- Walk 30 to 45 minutes a day, five or six days a week. A walk after dinner is a good start.
| Eat more | Eat less or stop |
|---|---|
| Dal, chana, rajma, sprouts | Mithai, jalebi, sugar in tea |
| Green sabzi, salad | Pakora, samosa, bhature, puri |
| Curd, chaas, eggs, fish | Butter, ghee in large amounts, cream |
| Roti of mixed flour, brown rice in small portion | Maida, white bread, bakery items |
| Nuts in a handful, seeds | Cold drinks, packet juice, energy drinks |
Most doctors aim for losing about 7 to 10 percent of body weight over six to twelve months. For a person weighing 90 kg, that means 6 to 9 kg. Slow loss is safer than crash dieting.
Is fatty liver curable? Is there a tablet for it?
People often ask if fatty liver is 100 percent curable and which tablet is best. The honest answer: in the early grades, the fat can often be reduced a lot or cleared with weight loss and a better routine, but it can return if old habits return. No single tablet clears fatty liver on its own. Medicines are used to treat the causes: sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure. In some patients a doctor may add a specific medicine after looking at the reports. Do not buy liver tonics or herbal powders on someone's advice. Some of them harm the liver.
Tests Dr Raman Garg may advise
- Ultrasound abdomen to see fat and the size of the liver
- Liver function test (LFT) to check liver enzymes
- Sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride tests
- FibroScan, a scan that measures how stiff or scarred the liver is, arranged with trusted imaging partners in Bathinda; Dr Raman Garg reviews the report the same day
FibroScan is the key test. Fat alone is one thing. Scarring (fibrosis) is the real danger, because heavy scarring can lead to cirrhosis, where the liver shrinks and hardens.
Cost of fatty liver tests in Bathinda
| Item | Starting (Rs) | Average (Rs) | Maximum (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPD consultation | 500 | 700 | 1,000 |
| Ultrasound abdomen | 600 | 1,000 | 1,800 |
| Liver function test (LFT) | 400 | 600 | 1,200 |
| FibroScan | 3,000 | 5,000 | 7,000 |
Note: These are typical Punjab costs for 2026. The final cost may vary after Dr Raman Garg examines you, depending on the number of tests needed and your health.
If you have a health policy, cashless support is available with insurers such as Niva Bupa, Care Health Insurance, ICICI Lombard, Aditya Birla Health Insurance and Medi Assist TPA. Our insurance desk arranges pre-authorisation. Read more on cashless insurance for gastro treatment.
When to see a doctor
Book a visit if your ultrasound says fatty liver, if you have diabetes, a big waist, high cholesterol, or if your LFT numbers are raised. Come sooner if you feel constant tiredness or upper right belly ache.
When to see a doctor box: Go to a hospital the same day if you have yellow eyes or skin, swelling of the belly or legs, vomiting blood, black stools, or confusion and unusual sleepiness. These can mean serious liver damage and need same-day care. Call +91 82641-60001 and our team will guide you.
This page is general information; your plan is set after Dr Raman Garg examines you.