Central Abdominal Fat Linked to Higher Psoriasis Risk, Especially in Women: Study
New Delhi: Emerging evidence indicates that visceral adiposity, particularly fat accumulation in the abdominal region, is a significant independent risk factor for psoriasis development.
A new study published on Tuesday highlights that central body fat, particularly fat stored around the abdomen, is more strongly associated with the risk of developing psoriasis than overall body fat, with the link being especially pronounced in women. The findings underscore the critical role of weight management in psoriasis care.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Many people living with psoriasis also have elevated levels of body fat. While it is well known that increased body fat raises the risk of psoriasis, the influence of fat distribution and genetics has remained unclear until now.
Researchers from King’s College London, UK, revealed that the relationship between central fat and psoriasis risk persists regardless of genetic predisposition. This suggests that abdominal fat acts as an independent risk factor for the disease.
"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.
The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, analysed data from over 330,000 participants, including more than 9,000 individuals with psoriasis. Researchers examined 25 different measures of body fat using traditional methods alongside advanced imaging techniques to evaluate the association between fat distribution and psoriasis risk.
They found a consistently strong association across different measures of central fat, with a notably stronger effect 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," the research team added.
While the results may not be fully generalizable to more diverse populations, the study reinforces the importance of measuring waist circumference and adopting proactive healthy weight management strategies in psoriasis care.