While obesity among people with psoriasis is common, being overweight does not cause the disease, as previously thought, a recent study shows.
Instead, U researchers found that the disease actually causes patients to become overweight. They also found that people with psoriasis are more likely to have a weight problem after developing the autoimmune skin disease.
The researchers published their findings in the December issue of The Archives of Dermatology.
Researchers studied 557 patients from the Utah Psoriasis Initiative, which was formed to help find causes of the disease and to link symptoms and traits in order to better understand psoriasis.
U researchers are also looking at the correlation between smoking and psoriasis. They reported that 36 percent of the patients studied were smokers and that smokers are more likely to develop psoriasis.
About 2.5 percent of people in Utah are affected by psoriasis, which most commonly produces painful lesions on the skin.
Among the researchers is Gerald Krueger, professor of dermatology, who recently received a Presidential Chair award.