Ultra-processed food may cause lifelong skin disease, study suggests
High consumption of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of suffering from a visible and unsightly skin disease by more than a third of people, a French study suggests.
Experts reached this conclusion after analyzing health and diet data from over 18,000 people participating in a long-term nutrition study.
Dividing the group into three levels based on the amount of ultra-processed foods (UPF) they consumed on average each day, the scientists found that the group that consumed the most had a 36% increased risk of suffering from psoriasis.
psoriasis It is a skin disease that causes dry, scaly patches of skin on the body, including the face, and approximately one in 50 Britons have the condition, the study reports. GazetaExpress.
This is the latest study to suggest that consuming UPF foods can lead to numerous health harms — from increased risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and even a shorter lifespan.
UPF includes a broad category of foods rich in artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives, as well as calories and sugar.
Examples include ready meals, ice cream, and even ketchup.
However, British experts warned that the French study should be treated with caution, as, like many similar ones, it does not prove that UPF are directly to blame.
In the research, which was published in the journal JAMA Dermatology, the authors speculated that consuming a diet high in UPF may make the body more prone to inflammation.
This, in turn, can increase the chances of developing psoriasis, which occurs as a result of inflammation of skin cells.
The analysis suggested that the association between diets high in UPF and psoriasis remained consistent even when factors such as excess weight and underlying conditions of the participants were taken into account.
Experts still don't fully understand why psoriasis occurs, but it is thought to be related to a malfunction of the immune system that causes inflammation in the body and accelerates the growth of skin cells.
Normally, skin cells are replaced every three to four weeks, but for those suffering from psoriasis, this process occurs every three to seven days.
The study authors acknowledged that there were flaws in their study, such as relying on participants' self-reports of suffering from the skin condition, which could affect the reliability of the results.
They concluded that the relationship between psoriasis and UPFs requires further large studies to be better understood.
British experts, who were not involved in the study, stressed that the results should be treated with caution.
Professor Wendy Hall, a nutritional science expert at Kings College London, said it was critical to remember that the study showed a relationship between psoriasis and high UFA consumption — not a cause and effect.
She suggested that it's possible that psoriasis itself causes people to eat more UPF to seek comfort, as sufferers often experience problems with self-esteem. /Express newspaper/
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