New Delhi, May 27 Central body fat, especially around the abdomen, is more strongly linked to psoriasis risk than total body fat, particularly in women, according to a study on Tuesday, reinforcing the role of weight management in psoriasis care.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can have a significant impact on quality of life. Many individuals with psoriasis also have elevated levels of body fat.
While it is well established that increasing levels of body fat raise the risk of developing psoriasis, the impact of specific fat distribution and genetics remains unclear.
Researchers from King’s College London, UK stated that the link between central fat and psoriasis remained consistent regardless of genetic predisposition, indicating that abdominal fat is an independent risk factor.
"Our research shows that where fat is stored in the body matters when it comes to psoriasis risk. Central fat -- especially around the waist -- seems to play a key role. This has important implications for how we identify individuals who may be more likely to develop psoriasis or experience more severe disease, and how we approach prevention and treatment strategies," said lead investigator Ravi Ramessur, from St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London.
In the study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the team analysed data from over 330,000 participants, including more than 9,000 people with psoriasis. They examined 25 different measures of body fat using both traditional methods and advanced imaging techniques, assessing how each was associated with psoriasis.
The association was found consistently strong across different central fat measures. The effect was much stronger in women.
The observed links between central body fat and psoriasis suggest that there may be underlying biological mechanisms contributing to the disease that are not yet fully understood and which warrant further investigation, said the researchers.
While the findings may not be generalised to other diverse populations, the study reinforces the importance of measuring waist circumference and pro-active healthy weight strategies in psoriasis care, they added.
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