INS and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Insulin resistance is thought to be one of the key initial pathogenic mechanisms contributing to the development of NAFLD as high insulin levels can result in liver fat deposition by stimulating the oxidation of surrounding adipose tissue resulting in increased levels of serum free fatty acids (FFA), increased removal of serum FFA through increased hepatic storage, and increasing endogenous synthesis of FFA in the liver.