Link between obesity and atopic dermatitis: Does obesity predispose to atopic dermatitis, or vice versa?

Two serious health conditions, obesity and atopic dermatitis (AD), share some pathological features such as insulin resistance, leptin resistance and inflammation, and a growing body of evidence suggests a link between obesity and AD. Obesity predisposes an individual to and/or worsens AD, whereas AD increases the risk of obesity. Obesity and AD's interactions are mediated by cytokines, chemokines and immune cells. Obese individuals with AD are more resistant to anti-inflammatory therapy, while weight loss can alleviate AD. In this review, we summarize the evidence linking AD and obesity. We also discuss the pathogenic role of obesity in AD, and vice versa. Because of the connection between these two conditions, mitigation of one could possibly prevent the development of or alleviate the other condition. Effective management of AD and weight loss can enhance the wellness of individuals with both of these conditions. However, proper clinical studies are warranted to validate this speculation.

Automated summary

Two serious health conditions, obesity and atopic dermatitis (AD), share pathological features and evidence suggests a link between them. Obesity can predispose and worsen AD, while AD increases the risk of obesity. Cytokines, chemokines, and immune cells mediate the interactions between obesity and AD. Weight loss can alleviate AD, but obese individuals with AD are more resistant to anti-inflammatory therapy. Effective management and further studies are needed to validate the connection and explore mitigation strategies.