Sahlman P, Nissinen M, Puukka P, et al. - In the general population, researchers conducted this investigation to analyze various risk factors predictive of advanced non-viral liver disease and study the interaction between these factors and consumption of alcohol. Persons without underlying liver disease who partook in the Health2000 or FINRISK studies 1992–2012 constituted a cohort of 41,260 people. Using severe liver disease hospitalization, cancer, or death as end-point, alcohol consumption pattern and metabolic, lifestyle-related, and anthropometric parameters were analyzed with Cox regression analysis. Viral liver diseases have been excluded. During the mean 12.4-year follow-up (511,789 person-years), a total of 355 liver events occurred. The authors discovered that age, patatin-like phospholipase-containing domain 3 haplotype, and waist-to-hip ratio increase the risk of severe liver disease development. Strong synergism between alcohol and central obesity was found. Binge drinking is another risk factor identified in this analysis.