Here may be another reason to lose weight: Recent research has found evidence linking obesity to acne. The latest study, published in The Archives of Dermatology, looked at the relationship between weight and skin condition among 3,600 teens. After accounting for age, puberty, and diet, researchers found that overweight and obese adolescents, particularly females, were significantly more likely to develop acne.
Affecting nearly one in five teenagers, acne is a skin condition ranging from mild to severe that results in blemishes and inflammation. Hormonal variations have long been associated with the condition, and since obesity leads to an excess of androgens (male hormones), researchers believe this is one possible mechanism by which weight gain can provoke acne.
As ACSH's distinguished guest Dr. Betsy McCaughey notes, it used to be that people thought specific foods, such as chocolate, were responsible for acne, but “in fact, many of these foods are packed with a lot of calories, which can lead to gaining weight. Thus it seems more likely that it’s the obesity-hormone connection that leads to acne, not just the type of foods we ingest.”
