A STUDY found that infants introduced to formula before the age of four months had an increased risk of developing psoriasis. Compared to infants who were breastfed for at least the first four months of life.
Although psoriasis is a genetically predisposed systemic skin disease, however, environmental triggers can be a factor in the manifestation of the disease.
The study aimed to investigate the role of early nutrition as a risk factor for the development of psoriasis. Data from the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (AIBS) prospective birth cohort (n=16,414) was analysed. Parents answered questionnaires at birth and when their children were aged one and three years old. The psoriasis diagnoses were obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register and National Drug Prescription Register, and the statistical analysis was conducted in R with custom-written scripts.
Results showed that infants who were breastfed for less than four months, and infants who received formula before four months of age, had a higher risk of psoriasis [odds ratio (OR) 1.84 (P = 0.02) and OR 1.88 (P = 0.02), respectively]. The three-year follow-up revealed that increased consumption of fish, especially from the Baltic Sea (OR 9.61; P = 0.003) and consuming high volumes of milk, also increased psoriasis risk (OR 2.53; P = 0.04).
This study shows that early-life nutrition appears to have a significant effect on the risk of developing psoriasis later in life. The researchers recommend breastfeeding for the first four months of life.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference:
Debojyoti D et al. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of developing psoriasis through to early adulthood. British Journal of Dermatology. 2024;191(1):65-74.
