Study finds ultra-processed foods increase risk of active psoriasis

New research reveals how ultra-processed foods provide energy inflammation Exacerbating active psoriasis highlights the important role of diet in the management of this chronic disease.

study: Consumption of ultra-processed foods and psoriasis. Image credit: BartTa / Shutterstock.com

In a recent study published in JAMA Dermatologyresearchers investigated the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and active psoriasis status.

What causes psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a multifactorial etiology involving genetic, immune, and environmental factors. Diets, especially diets that have pros and cons anti-inflammatory Food is recognized as a modifiable factor that influences inflammation and quality of life in people diagnosed with inflammatory diseases.

Ingestion of UPF, which is characterized by high concentrations of sugars, fats, and artificial additives, has been implicated in the development of a variety of health conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, all of which are associated with inflammation. Share your route. psoriasis. Despite these associations, the specific role of UPF in psoriasis remains unclear, and further studies are needed to clarify the impact of UPF on disease activity.

About research

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the NutriNet-Santé cohort collected from November 29, 2021 to June 6, 2022. Participants aged 15 years and older were included and divided into three groups based on self-reported psoriasis status. Had, inactive, or active.

UPF intake was assessed using dietary records, quantifying daily UPF consumption in grams, and study participants were characterized into tertiles from lowest to highest intake. Demographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables were also collected, including age, gender, education level, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, physical activity, alcohol intake, and comorbidities such as depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. .

The association between UPF intake and psoriasis status was assessed using a multinomial logistic regression model. Potential confounders such as sociodemographic factors, BMI, and comorbidities were adjusted to minimize bias. Sensitivity analyzes were performed to assess the accuracy of the findings, including models that excluded cases with dermatologist-verified psoriasis diagnoses and missing data.

Statistical significance was determined using a two-tailed test, and P values ​​less than 0.05 were considered significant. Data analysis was performed using SAS version 9.4. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the French Institute for Health and Medical Research, and all study participants provided electronic informed consent.

Research results

The current study included 18,528 participants, with a median age of 62 years, of whom 74% were women. 10% of the study cohort reported having psoriasis, with 4% and 6% of cases classified as active and inactive, respectively.

The proportion of women was lower in the active psoriasis group at 68%, compared with 75% and 74% in the inactive and psoriasis-naive groups, respectively. Patients with active psoriasis were also more likely to be obese, at 16%, compared with 11% of those with inactive psoriasis and 9% of those without the disease. High-intensity physical activity was reported by 38% of patients with active psoriasis, 39% of patients with inactive psoriasis, and 42% of patients without a history of psoriasis.

Comorbidities were more frequently reported in people with active psoriasis than in people who had never had psoriasis. For example, cardiovascular disease was reported in 7% of patients with active psoriasis, compared to 5% of the group who had never had psoriasis. Similarly, diabetes and inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis were more prevalent in the active group at 6% and 9%, respectively, compared with 4% and 3%, respectively, in the unaffected group.

Unadjusted analyzes identified significant differences in UPF intake, with active psoriasis patients reporting higher intakes. After adjusting for confounders, people with the highest tertile of UPF intake were 36% more likely to have active psoriasis compared with those with the lowest tertile. Sensitivity analyzes showed consistent results. However, when dermatologists examined cases of psoriasis, these associations were not statistically significant.

Further analysis showed that the association between UPF intake and active psoriasis remained significant after accounting for BMI, thus suggesting that UPF intake independently contributes to psoriasis activity. It was done. However, no significant association between UPF intake and inactive psoriasis was observed in both univariate and adjusted models.

conclusion

The current study confirmed a significant association between high UPF intake and active psoriasis, independent of confounding factors such as BMI, age, and comorbidities. Furthermore, people with active psoriasis were shown to have higher rates of obesity and comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes compared to people without psoriasis. Taken together, these findings indicate that UPF intake may contribute to the proinflammatory mechanisms underlying active psoriasis.