Having a high BMI leads to an increased risk of psoriasis, a debilitating skin condition.
People with psoriasis are often overweight, according to a new study. “We wanted to support a possible causal relationship between body mass index (BMI) and psoriasis”, indicate the researchers in the preamble.
Following their analyses, they found that people suffering from psoriasis weighed an average of 1.26 kilos more than the others (+1.55 kilos in sick children). “A 1 kg increase in BMI was associated with a 4% higher risk of psoriasis,” the scientists state.
We do not know how to cure this disease
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, progressing in flare-ups. Non-contagious, it is due to an accelerated renewal of the epidermis and its occurrence is triggered in subjects genetically predisposed by various environmental factors. It is manifested by red patches covered with scales (small films of skin, editor’s note).
At present, we do not know how to cure this disease, but treatments can reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life. In France, psoriasis affects 2% of the population, or three million patients.
Improve lifestyle
“Our study, which uses genetic variants, demonstrates that a high BMI leads to an increased risk of psoriasis. Therefore, preventing or treating this common skin disease may in part involve therapies aimed at improving lifestyle and decreasing overweight,” conclude the researchers.
7 out of 10 people with psoriasis consider their disease to be embarrassing in their professional and personal life. More precisely, 30% declare having already felt discouraged in the face of the disease, and this on a repeated basis. In addition, nearly 10% of people with psoriasis say that the disease is also a source of difficulty in their life as a couple, and more particularly concerning their sex life (up to 15%).
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