New survey shows most Canadians overlook their liver health, yet 1 in 4 is affected by liver disease

TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Only nine per cent of Canadians prioritize their liver when thinking about their health ? well behind heart, mental, digestive, lung and even skin health. That finding comes from a new survey released today by Liver Canada, formerly known as the Canadian Liver Foundation.

"Despite one in four Canadians being affected by liver disease, we now know that very few are truly prioritizing their liver health," says Jennifer Nebesky, president and CEO of Liver Canada. "This goes to show why liver health awareness is more important now than ever."

Conducted by Abacus Data, the survey of 2,500 Canadians found that while liver health is the least considered area when assessing one's health, Canadians with a personal connection to liver disease are twice as likely to consider their liver health a priority. The survey also found that long-standing myths about liver disease persist, with 84 per cent of Canadians blaming alcohol as the top culprit for poor liver health.

"When we only focus on alcohol consumption, this leads many Canadians to pay less attention to other factors that have just as much, if not more, of an impact on your liver health," says Nebesky.

Once considered rare, liver cancer has also become one of the fastest-growing cancers in Canada and is the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. Roughly 10 million Canadians are impacted by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), more commonly known as fatty liver disease. This number is expected to rise an additional 20 per cent by 2030.

With cases of both liver disease and liver cancer increasing, Liver Canada is determined to raise awareness, drive prevention and support Canadians through education, advocacy and research.

"We want Canadians to understand how crucial liver health is to their overall well-being," says Nebesky. "It's one of the reasons we've rebranded as Liver Canada ? it's a way of reaffirming our commitment to addressing the growing liver health crisis in our country."

Liver Canada's action plan

Liver Canada empowers all Canadians to take proactive steps to protect and improve their liver health through advocacy, education, support and research:

• Awareness: Through life-saving research, vital education, community support and advocacy campaigns, Liver Canada is committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of all Canadians.
• Education in schools: Liver Canada has designed a new school-based program to help the next generation understand the importance of liver health, with workshops in select schools throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
• Prevention: Preventing liver disease starts with nutrition, lifestyle changes and early screenings. Liver Canada is here to help with an information hub that supports Canadians on their path to better liver health, free liver-friendly recipes and a toll-free helpline.
• Research: Liver Canada has invested more than $38 million in liver research and has played a vital role in some of Canada's most noteworthy liver-related scientific breakthroughs, including discovering the genes responsible for Wilson's disease and hemochromatosis and new treatments for hepatitis C. The organization continues to fund innovative studies spanning all forms of liver disease.

Learn more about Liver Canada and all its initiatives for 2025 at liver.ca

Media contact

Jennifer Nebesky, president and CEO of Liver Canada, is available for interviews. Liver Canada can also connect media with its medical partners across the country.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
Holly Nyenkamp
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Liver Canada
[email protected]