Does weight contribute to children’s skin condition?

Investigators have assessed the relationship between being overweight during early childhood and the risk of atopic dermatitis.

In a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the investigators analyzed how weight changes contributed to the development of atopic dermatitis in over 2 million pediatric patients.

They found that those who transitioned from a normal weight to being overweight in early childhood were more likely to develop atopic dermatitis and other dermatologic conditions like psoriasis and alopecia areata as a result of several factors: chronic inflammation, dysregulated immune responses and impaired skin barrier function. However, those whose weight reduced from overweight to a normal weight were less likely to develop atopic dermatitis.

The findings suggested that early weight management may be effective at preventing atopic dermatitis in some patients.

Read more: Journal of Investigative Dermatology

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