A 'surprising trigger' for eczema discovered in our diet

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A new study has found that salty foods increase the likelihood of itching flare-ups associated with eczema.

Eczema is known as a group of inflammatory skin conditions that cause itching, dry skin, rashes, scaly patches, and inflammation.

Experts believe that salt can lead to the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a common type of bacteria that lives on our skin, which is thought to be responsible for the urge to itch, leading to skin damage.

University of California, San Francisco, researchers studied data on more than 215,000 people between the ages of 30 and 70 from the UK Biobank, which includes urine samples and online medical records.

It turns out that every gram of sodium excreted in urine over a 24-hour period is associated with an 11% higher odds of being diagnosed with eczema, a 16% higher odds of having an active case, and an 11% higher odds of developing a severe case of eczema.

The researchers also analyzed the cases of 13,000 American adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that eating one additional gram per day of salt (the equivalent of half a teaspoon) was associated with a 22% higher chance of suffering from eczema.

The study showed that reducing the amount of salt consumed in the diet can help eczema patients manage the disease.

The study was published in JAMA Dermatology.