STORY AT-A-GLANCE

Rates of alcoholic liver disease have soared 30% in the last year at the University of Michigan's health system, a rise doctors blame on higher amounts of alcohol intake during the pandemic

Hospitals including Northwestern University and Harvard University reported 50% increases in admissions for alcoholic liver disease since March 2020

Over the six-month period from April to September 2020, "hazardous alcohol use and likely dependence increased month by month for those under lockdowns compared to those not under restrictions"

Nonalchoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is also on the rise, being driven by excessive intake of processed seed or "vegetable" oils and fructose

Alcohol-induced cirrhosis and NAFLD can be reversed in their early stages by quitting drinking and cutting out processed fructose and seed oils