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Over the past two decades, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has progressed from a relatively unknown disease to one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease with an increasing prevalence that can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. Due to the obesity prevalence and the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver and its progressive form, Non - Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), is more common in different parts of the world. However, there is no exact and noninvasive way to diagnose this disease. It is estimated that the obesity prevalence will continue to exacerbate non-alcoholic fatty liver prevalence and its long-term complications, leading to enormous clinical and economic burdens. This article reviews the epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Iran and the world and related risk factors. Google Scholar and PubMed databases were used to identify studies on the epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal complaint in the adult population worldwide; nevertheless, few studies have assessed this disorder among medical students. The stress, lifestyle, and burdensome educational curriculum exposes this particular population to GERD. To the best of our knowledge, there was no information about the frequency of GERD in Iranian medical students. We aimed to assess the prevalence of GERD as well as its risk factors among the medical students. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the symptoms of GERD were investigated among 290 medical students using the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (FSSG) at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during 2018-2019. Additional information, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and studying grade, were entered in the checklist. Results: Among the studied population, 104 (36.55%) students had GERD. Heartburn was associated with studying grade (p =0.022) and BMI (p < 0.001). Esophageal regurgitation was related to BMI only (p < 0.001). The logistic regression evaluations revealed overweight (p < 0.001; OR: 14.49; 95%CI: 7.29-28.81), obesity (p < 0.001; OR: 14.16; 95%CI: 4.38-45.74), studying the physiopathology course (p < 0.001; OR: 5.05; 95%CI: 2.07-12.30) and being in the stagership period (p = 0.007; OR: 3.50; 95%CI: 1.41-8.64) were independent predictors of heartburn, while overweight (p < 0.001; OR: 8.33; 95%CI: 4.26-16.28), obesity (p < 0.001; OR: 54.87; 95%CI: 11.31- 266.10) and being in the stagership period (p = 0.024; OR: 2.89; 95%CI: 0.87-6.22) were the predictors for esophageal regurgitation. Conclusion: Based on this study, GERD was prevalent among the medical students, and factors, including BMI and studying grade, were predictors of its incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]