**8. Conclusions**

NAFLD is currently the primary cause of chronic liver disease in the western world and its growth is a consequence of its close relation to obesity and metabolic syndrome. One of the great challenges in this disease is to diagnose and classify it correctly, given that the characteristics defining NAFLD are the common denominator of many liver diseases. Its correct characterization is important as in spite of presenting a generally benign and slowly developing evolution from the hepatic viewpoint; the fatty liver can progress towards more severe forms with the development of inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC, thus conferring morbimortality. However, its potential morbimortality is not limited to this organ, but goes beyond; NAFLD is being considered a mediator of systemic diseases. Therefore, the early identification of these patients would help to improve its prognosis through an individualized intervention depending on the stage of liver disease, on the metabolic risk factors present and on the cardiovascular risk, which translates into the need for a systemic approach to the disease with multidisciplinary management including primary care physician, endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists and hepatologists.
