Korean adolescents with normal or higher body mass index (BMI) may be more likely to develop atopic dermatitis compared with their underweight peers, according to a recent study.
In the study, published in PLOS ONE, investigators used data from the 2019 to 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web–based Survey to examine the association between BMI and atopic dermatitis among 144,183 Korean adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. They noted that 74,704 of the participants were male and 69,479 of them were female.
The investigators found that 5.4% of male and 7.3% of female adolescents were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis in the past year. Adolescents with a normal weight had a higher likelihood of developing atopic dermatitis compared with those classified as underweight. Specifically, male patients with normal weight had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–1.38) and those with overweight had an OR of 1.37 (95% CI = 1.16–1.61). Similarly, female patients with a normal weight had an OR of 1.26 (95% CI = 1.10–1.43), and those with overweight had an OR of 1.37 (95% CI = 1.19–1.58).
The investigators performed multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for various sociodemographic factors (sex, grade, area of residence, and household income) and health-related factors (secondhand smoke exposure, physical activity, sleep duration, subjective stress level, subjective health status, dietary habits, and the survey year). These adjustments provided a comprehensive understanding of the associations between BMI and atopic dermatitis.
Further associations included higher atopic dermatitis risk among adolescents with lower physical activity levels; insufficient sleep; higher subjective stress; and frequent consumption of soda, sweet beverages, and fast food. Specifically, adolescents who did not exercise had a higher risk of developing atopic dermatitis compared with those who were underweight (males with normal weight: OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.16–2.07; males with overweight: OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.18–2.21; females with normal weight: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.02–1.47; and females with overweight: OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.19–1.77). Adolescents with insufficient sleep had a higher risk of developing atopic dermatitis compared with those who were underweight (males with normal weight: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.03–1.47; males with overweight: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.14–1.67; females with normal weight: OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.12–1.49; and females with overweight: OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.24–1.71).
The authors reported no potential conflict of interest.