Abstract
Background
Recent observational and experimental evidence suggests that diet may contribute to
acne prevalence.
Objectives
To examine the differences in select dietary factors (glycemic index [GI], total sugar,
added sugar, fruit/fruit juice, fruit/vegetables, vegetables, saturated fat, trans fat, and number of milk and fish servings perday) between groups of self-reported
acne severity. Secondary objectives were to investigate the differences in food-aggravated
acne beliefs and acne-specific quality-of-life between groups of self-reported acne
severity.
Design
This study utilized a cross-sectional design.
Participants/setting
A total of 248 (115 male, 133 female) participants, age 18 to 25 years, completed
questionnaires designed to measure self-reported acne severity, select dietary factors,
food-aggravated acne beliefs, acne-specific quality-of-life, and anthropometric and
demographic characteristics. The Block fat/sugar/fruit/vegetable food frequency questionnaire
assessed usual dietary intake. Data were collected in New York City between January
and May 2012.
Statistical analyses performed
One-way between groups analysis of variance examined differences in dietary factors,
anthropometric characteristics, and acne-specific quality-of-life between groups of
self-reported acne. χ² tests compared food-aggravated acne beliefs and demographic
characteristics between groups of self-reported acne.
Results
Compared with participants with no or mild acne, participants with moderate to severe
acne reported greater dietary GI (P<0.001), added sugar (P<0.001), total sugar (P<0.001), number of milk servings per day (P<0.001), saturated fat (P<0.001), and trans-fatty acids (P<0.001), and fewer servings of fish per day (P=0.002). Among all participants, 58.1% perceived diet to aggravate or influence acne.
Conclusions
This study suggests that diet, particularly dietary GI, saturated fat, trans fat, milk, and fish may influence or aggravate acne development. Future research
is necessary to elucidate the proposed mechanisms linking diet and acne and determine
the impact of medical nutrition therapy on acne development.
Keywords
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Biography
J. Burris is a PhD candidate in nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York.
Biography
K. Woolf is an assistant professor of nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York.
Biography
W. Rietkerk is a dermatologist, Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, New York, NY, and an adjunct professor of dermatology, Department of Dermatology, New York Medical College, New York.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 09, 2014
Accepted:
October 28,
2013
Footnotes
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by any of the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT Funding for the Block food-frequency questionnaire was provided by the New York University Steinhardt Professional Development Fund.
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
