This World Diabetes Day (November 14,
2025), Health Experts Call for Liver Health to Be Part of the Diabetes
Conversation
This World Diabetes Day, Filipino health experts are urging the public to look beyond blood sugar and recognize the liver’s overlooked role in the development of type 2 diabetes. While the pancreas often takes center stage in conversations about diabetes, a growing body of evidence suggests that Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) play a major role in driving insulin resistance.
MAFLD/
MASLD’s Impact on Diabetes Risk: An Urgent Call for Awareness
Global research shows that 26 percent of people with type 2 diabetes also have MAFLD/ MASLD, a silent condition that often goes undetected until it becomes more serious.[1] Despite the liver’s essential role in regulating blood sugar, metabolizing fats, and managing inflammation, it is rarely included in diabetes screenings or treatment discussions.
In the Philippines, this connection is especially concerning: the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that over 4.7 million adult Filipinos are living with diabetes[2], with thousands more undiagnosed. Alarmingly, while we focus on other health concerns, a silent epidemic looms: nearly 20 million Filipinos—equivalent to 1 in 5 of our countrymen—face the risk of fatty liver disease. This ticking time bomb is fueled by our modern lifestyle: obesity, poor dietary choices, lack of physical activity, and rising metabolic disorders.3
