Photo Credit: Sompong Tom

Childhood obesity may increase the risk for pediatric immune-mediated skin diseases, according to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Hyunsun Park, MD, PhD, and colleagues examined associations between BMI and the development of alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis (AD), and psoriasis in approximately 2.16 million children. Children with obesity had a significantly higher risk for pediatric immune-mediated skin diseases than those with normal weight. A higher risk for AD was seen with an increase in BMI, while a decrease in BMI correlated with reduced risk for AD. Transitioning from normal weight to overweight was associated with higher AD risk compared with maintaining a normal weight (adjusted HR, 1.15). However, those going from overweight to normal weight had lower AD risk (adjusted HR, 0.87) versus children who maintained overweight. “Implementing purposeful interventions, including nutritional strategies, to decrease body weight may aid in reducing the risk of developing immune-mediated skin diseases in children,” Dr. Park and colleagues wrote.