The Relationship of Diet and Acne

Abstract

Background: Earlier, medical literature replicated that diet was not a proven cause of acne. Nonetheless, studies in recent years have demonstrated a relation between certain dietary factors and acne. It is uncertain whether patients are aware of recent research findings. Purposes: Acne patients were surveyed to explore beliefs concerning the relationship between diet and acne, to determine whether these beliefs translated into behavior change and to recognize health information sources. Materials and Methods: Surveys were managed to 104 acne patients at King Abdulaziz Hospital from March2016 till February 2017, with 98 completed in full and included in this analysis. Results: of the 104 questionnaires administered, 98 were completed in full and were included in the analysis. The mean age of patients was 29 years (range, 15 to 45 years); 76 were female and 22 were male. Six respondents had an underweight BMI of less than 18; 62 respondents had a normal BMI between 18-25; 26 respondents were overweight with BMI 25-30; and 4 respondents were qualified as obese with BMI greater than 30. A majority,(90 of 98) of respondents, was educated at the college level. Conclusion: In this exploratory study, patients reported utilizing a diversity of information sources, a majority from the Internet. In those surveyed, there was a persistence of long-held belief that fried/greasy foods and chocolate may serve as acne triggers, and less belief in trigger foods supported by recent research, including refined carbohydrates and sugar. Given the multiplicity of beliefs and utilized sources among acne patients in our survey, there is a need to establish an up-to-date and reliable methods to educate patients the relationship between diet and occurrence of acne.