Fatty liver disease, as we have come to know it, is the most common cause of chronic liver disease globally. As such, it was important for the global liver community to come to a consensus on the nomenclature and diagnostic criteria associated with the disease, to increase disease awareness and research. In June of 2023, leading liver disease experts from around the world announced the nomenclature change for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), respectively. 

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Since certain metabolic components have been increasingly associated with the disease, the consensus also included in the definition of MASLD the presence of at least 1 of 5 cardiometabolic risk factors. The new nomenclature, MASLD and MASH, allow for the incorporation of these metabolic components, while also removing previously included terminology that was exclusionary and potentially stigmatizing. The new overarching term to emcompass all variations of steatosis is steatotic liver disease (SLD). 

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The global consensus determined that patients who have no metabolic risk factors, and no known cause are to be classified as cryptogenic steatotic liver disease. In addition, a new category of SLD, called metabolic and alcohol related/associated liver disease (MetALD), was created to emcompass those with MASLD, who consume alcohol in quantities between 140-350 g/wk for women and 210-420 g/wk for men.