Author: Camille Lefevre, Julien Moreau
Review Article
Fatty Liver Index (FLI): Beyond a Marker of Hepatic Steatosis – A Comprehensive Review
Camille Lefevre* and Julien Moreau
Department of Virology, Lyon University, Lyon, France
Published: 15 August 2016
Abstract
Fatty liver disease is increasingly recognized as a significant global health issue, with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) being the most common subtype. As the burden of NAFLD rises, accurate and accessible diagnostic tools are essential. The Fatty Liver Index (FLI) is a non-invasive biomarker that has been widely adopted for estimating hepatic steatosis based on routine clinical and biochemical parameters such as body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels. Although initially developed to assess the presence of fatty liver, recent studies indicate that the FLI may hold value beyond diagnosing hepatic steatosis. It has been linked to metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease risk, and type 2 diabetes, suggesting its potential role as a broader metabolic health indicator. As research continues to explore the connections between liver fat accumulation and systemic diseases, FLI may emerge as a useful tool for early detection, risk stratification, and monitoring of metabolic disorders.
Keywords: Fatty liver index; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Hepatic steatosis; Metabolic syndrome
