Cutaneous manifestations of obesity in Turkish children: A comparative study

Background: Cutaneous changes in obese adults have been investigated in numerous studies, but this issue has not been adequately investigated in children.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of skin manifestations in children with obesity by comparing them to normal-weight children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2017 and January 2019 in which 82 children with obesity and 86 normal-weight healthy control children were enrolled. Study participants had detailed full-body skin examinations performed by the same dermatologist; mycological and Wood's lamp examinations were performed when necessary. Sociodemographic and anthropometric measurements of the participants were recorded.

Results: Striae distensae were the most common skin manifestation in children with obesity; striae were significantly higher in the obese than in the control group (72% vs. 26.7%, p < .001). The anatomical distribution of the striae distensae in the groups differed significantly. Striae distensae were most commonly observed on the buttocks in the control group, while the thighs were the most common site in the obese group. Acanthosis nigricans (63.4% vs. 3.5%, p < .001), acrochordons (17.1% vs. 1.2%, p < .001), keratosis pilaris (32.9% vs. 17.4%, p = .021), intertrigo (11% vs. 0%, p = .001), folliculitis (31.7% vs. 5.8%, p < .001), seborrheic dermatitis (12.2% vs. 3.5%, p = .035) and facial erythema (7.3% vs. 0%, p = .012) were found to be statistically significantly more common in the obese group compared to the control group.

Conclusions: Obesity in children is associated with numerous cutaneous manifestations. Further study is needed to identify whether weight loss can reduce skin manifestations in obese children.