Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a central subtype within the broader spectrum of steatotic liver disease (SLD), has emerged as the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease globally. The rising burden of MASLD across North and Latin America reflects shared metabolic risk factors, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiometabolic disease, while also highlighting distinct regional challenges. This joint American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (AASLD–ALEH) program aims to strengthen scientific collaboration and mutual learning between the two associations by addressing critical aspects of MASLD across epidemiology, diagnostics, genetics, and health system integration.
The program begins with an overview of current epidemiologic trends and key knowledge gaps regarding the burden of MASLD in North and Latin America, followed by discussion on the expanding role of noninvasive tests (NITs) in early detection, risk stratification, and longitudinal monitoring of MASLD. Advances in genetic determinants of MASLD susceptibility and progression are reviewed, with emphasis on ancestry-related variation and the importance of population-specific data to advance precision medicine. The session also highlights innovative efforts to implement structured MASLD care pathways within Latin American health care systems, underscoring the need for scalable, multidisciplinary, and culturally tailored approaches. The symposium concludes with an interactive panel discussion focused on building sustainable AASLD–ALEH partnerships to advance collaborative MASLD research, harmonize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and strengthen hepatology capacity across the Americas. Through this coordinated effort, the program seeks to establish a shared framework to address MASLD as a defining liver health challenge of our time.