It has been found that an allele in gene variant rs738409 of PNPLA3 (patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3) contributes to ancestry-related and interindividual differences in hepatic fat content and predisposition to NAFLD; it also enhances NAFLD severity across the entire histological spectrum, leading to cirrhosis in a higher proportion of subjects. The gene discussed is PNPLA3; the disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.