VALENCIA, Spain—Although the Mediterranean diet is popular in many sectors of health, including weight management and heart health, it has no affect on skin, but milk may. According to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Allergology and Clinical Immunology, no association between the Mediterranean diet score and atopic dermatitis (AD) was found, but milk was negatively associated with AD (2010;20(6):469-75).
The prevalence of AD has increased substantially in recent decades, and different factors have been implicated in its etiology. Although dietary habits are being investigated, few conclusive findings have been reported. Nevertheless, increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a diet poor in antioxidants have been related to AD.
Researchers performed a cross-sectional study with 20,106 schoolchildren aged 6 to7 years from 10 different areas of Spain. The participation rate was 76.5 percent. The prevalence of AD was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and the criteria of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology. To calculate the Mediterranean diet score, food was classified into two groups: Mediterranean food, including fruit, seafood, vegetables, pulses, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes; and non-Mediterranean food, including meat, milk, and fast food.
Butter and nuts also were negatively associated, although statistical significance was only reached when these foods were consumed three or more times a week.
