Liver disease rates soaring in Canada

New statistics show that more and more Canadians are dealing with some form of liver disease throughout their life.

According to the Canadian Liver Foundation, one in four Canadians will have to combat some form of liver disease in their lifetime. That number has increased from one in 10 in 2013.

Mohit Arora was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a deadly condition, in 1993 when he was just a baby.

“It’s a difficult thing, because I spent the majority of my childhood in the hospital,” Arora said.

While his outlook wasn’t promising, on his 11th birthday he received a gift of life: a liver transplant. That was 30 years ago.

“Everyone on the health care team … have been a real big help over the years and also just the fact that I’ve been taking care of myself,” he said.

Holly Nyenkamp from the Canadian Liver Foundation, said people may suffer from liver disease and not know it.

“Symptoms aren’t always clear and really by the time your liver has sustained some significant damage, you’re in that further progressed stage of liver disease,” Nyenkamp said.

March is Liver Health Month and a local dietitian told CTV News there are ways people can get on top of their liver health before it becomes an issue.

“Keep track using a food journal and sometimes even a symptom log if they’re experiencing issues to see if there’s a correlation between sometimes what they eat and then some of their symptoms,” said Paula Ross, a registered dietitian in Sudbury.

Experts agree keeping active and limiting sugar and fat in your diet is the best way to stay healthy.