Evaluation of food consumption in patients with acne vulgaris and its relationship with acne severity

Background: Acne vulgaris is one of the chronic skin diseases with bacterial and perifollicular inflammation in its etiology. In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on hormones and food consumption, which are thought to affect this inflammation.

Aims: In this study, how effective various possible factors such as food consumption habits and anthropometric measurement are in the etiology and severity of acne was investigated in patients with acne.

Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted including 53 acne vulgaris patients and 53 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched controls. Each patient's acne score was calculated by a dermatologist ranging from 0-44 points based on the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) calculation. Dietary intake of milk and dairy products along with carbohydrate, fat, protein ratios and body mass index and body fat percentage were calculated. Statistical evaluation was carried out by calculating 95% confidence interval and prevalence rates between acne vulgaris and food categories.

Results: Cheese consumption was higher in the acne vulgaris group than in the control group, and there was a statistically significant difference.(P < .05) There was a statistically positive correlation between acne score and carbohydrate consumption (P < .01) and a statistically negative correlation between acne score and fat consumption. (P < .01).

Conclusion: In patients with acne vulgaris, it was observed that cheese consumption increased acne formation and carbohydrate consumption increased acne severity, while fat consumption did not increase acne severity.