THURSDAY, May 29, 2025— Fat stored around the abdomen may be a better predictor of psoriasis risk than total body fat, especially in women, according to new research.
The study, led by Dr. Ravi Ramessur, a dermatologist at King’s College London, highlights that the location of body fat matters when assessing the risk of developing psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition caused by the body producing new skin cells too quickly. This results in thick, itchy, scaly patches on the skin.
While it is known that excess weight increases the risk of psoriasis, it was unclear if where the fat is stored affects that risk.
Researchers analyzed data from over 330,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank, including more than 9,000 people with psoriasis. They studied 25 measures of body fat using traditional methods and MRI imaging.
The results showed that waist size, waist-to-hip ratio, and abdominal fat measured by MRI were the strongest indicators of psoriasis risk.
“Fat around the waist plays a key role,” said Dr. Ramessur. “This finding is important for identifying people at higher risk and for guiding prevention and treatment.”
The connection between belly fat and psoriasis was even stronger in women, suggesting possible biological reasons that require further study.
Dr. Joel Gelfand from the University of Pennsylvania noted that these findings support the use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic or Zepbound as potential tools to reduce psoriasis risk.
He called for large clinical trials to test these drugs for psoriasis treatment, emphasizing that treating psoriasis should consider its links to obesity and heart disease, not just skin symptoms.
The study was published May 27 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
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