New research from Boston University Medical Center shows that a bidirectional relationship exists between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease—when 5 to 10 percent is made up of fat—is the most common liver disease in the U.S., affecting 20 to 30 percent of the population. It often occurs in patients struggling with obesity. Until now researchers had not yet determined whether fatty liver disease precedes or develops after cardiovascular disease.

Researchers analyzes data from the Framingham Heart Study and found that participants with fatty liver disease developed high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes within six years. At the same time, those with an initial diagnosis of high blood pressure and type two diabetes were at a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease.

The results were published in the Journal of Hepatology.

"We observed a bi-directional association between fatty liver and cardiovascular disease," explained corresponding author Michelle Long, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and gastroenterologist at Boston Medical Center. "We observed that fatty liver was an important factor in the development of high blood pressure and diabetes and the opposite also stands true—various cardiovascular diseases were associated with the development of fatty liver disease over six years.”

Long believes this study highlights the need to develop both preventative and treatment strategies for fatty liver disease in order to improve the cardiovascular health of all people.