What Is MASLD?MASLD, which used to be known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is the most common chronic liver disease around the globe, affecting more than 30 percent of the world's population. Steatotic liver disease happens when the body begins to store fat in the liver. Some fat in the liver is normal, but the organ may become damaged when more than 10 percent of its weight is fat. Often, excessive alcohol use is a common cause of steatotic liver disease, but MASLD occurs without overusing alcohol. MASLD is thought to be caused by a group of related metabolic disorders involving high body mass index, high blood lipid levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes. These health markers influence one another and often change how the body metabolizes nutrients and stores fats.