From Childhood to Old Age: Current Knowledge and Practical Approaches to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases across all age groups. Methods: This review synthesizes the current evidence from landmark studies on the risk factors, diagnosis, and management of MASLD in pediatric, adult, and particularly elderly patients. Results: Based on the current data, we demonstrated that the prevalence of MASLD increases with age from childhood to middle adulthood, whereas, in elderly individuals, there is no further age-related increase observed. In the pathogenesis of the disease, familial and prenatal factors predominate in the youngest patients, while metabolic factors are the main contributors in adults. However, obesity remains the most significant risk factor for MASLD across all age groups. Therefore, systematic screening for MASLD should be strongly recommended in individuals with obesity. Laboratory parameters indicating an increased risk of MASLD are primarily recommended in screening regimens for children and adults; however, in elderly patients, these parameters may remain within normal ranges due to the long-standing disease course and progression toward fibrosis. On the basis of current studies and guidelines, we showed that lifestyle modification, including dietary changes and increased physical activity, is the cornerstone of treatment across all age groups. Nevertheless, non-pharmacological interventions have limitations in pediatric and elderly populations and are implemented less effectively in these groups than in middle-aged patients. Conclusions: The early identification of high-risk patients and implementation of multidisciplinary, age-targeted metabolic prevention strategies are essential to prevent MASLD progression and its non-liver complications.