Belly fat ‘may cause burning and painful skin condition’ suffered by Kim Kardashian – how to shift the pounds
BELLY fat increases your risk of the skin condition psoriasis, a study warns.
Psoriasis, which affects one in 50 people – including reality TV star Kim Kardashian – causes scaly patches of skin usually around the scalp, knees and elbows.
The 44-year-old has previously opened up about her struggle with the condition she described as ‘painful’.
Model Cara Delevingne and singer Cyndi Lauper are also sufferers.
Researchers at King’s College London analysed data from over 330,000 Brits, including more than 9,000 people with psoriasis.
They found that abdominal fat was strongly linked to someone’s likelihood of having the condition, particularly for women.
Study author Dr Ravi Ramessur said: “Our research shows that where fat is stored in the body matters when it comes to psoriasis risk.
“Central fat, especially around the waist, seems to play a key role.
“This has important implications for how we identify individuals who may be more likely to develop psoriasis or experience more severe disease, and how we approach prevention and treatment strategies.”
Psoriasis typically begins in someone’s 20s or 50s.
It’s not known what causes the incurable, and therefore chronic, condition.
It is thought that a problem with the immune system causes the skin cells to replace faster than they should. It is therefore sometimes referred to as an autoimmune disorder.
Dr Ramessur says: “The observed links between central body fat and psoriasis suggest that there may be underlying biological mechanisms contributing to the disease that are not yet fully understood and which warrant further investigation.”
In light of the new findings, experts said Ozempic-style fat jabs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, may help people with psoriasis.
Dr Joel Gelfand, Department of Dermatology and Center for Clinical Sciences in Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, wrote in an accompanying editorial: “The strong relationship between psoriasis and obesity, and the emerging promise of GLP-1 RAs, is a call to action for clinical trials.”
Dr Catherine Smith, senior author, said: “As rates of obesity continue to rise globally, understanding how different patterns of body fat influence chronic inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis is important.”
How to get rid of belly fat
Most of us have tried to shift belly fat at some point – it can be stubborn and takes some hard work.
Personal trainer Lucy Gornall previously shared with The Sun her non-negotiables if your goal is to lose the extra chub around your middle.
These include:
1. Fill your plate with as many coloured fruits and vegetables as you can.
“These are the fruits and vegetables which pack in nutrients and fibre, but contain very few calories,” Lucy says.
Fibre fills you up and therefore prevents overeating.
2. Don’t overdo the cardio.
“Going hard on runs, cycles and other types of cardio, is NOT the best way to burn belly fat,” says Lucy.
“It will leave you tired (you’ll be turning to high sugar snacks for energy), it will leave you sore, and it will leave you very hungry.”
3. Instead, lift weights.
“More muscle means more calories burnt at rest, meaning you burn off the food you eat easier than if you had less muscle,” says Lucy.
“Aim to include three 30 to 45 minute resistance-based training sessions each week, ensuring that the weight is challenging and your form is correct.”
4. Eat protein
Protein is the most filling food you can eat (over carbohydrates and fats) and helps with muscle recovery from all that weight training you’ll be doing.
“Look to include a source of protein in every meal and you won’t go too far wrong,” says Lucy, noting chicken breast and lean turkey mince are good sources.
5. Move more generally.
Increase your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) by doing things like taking the stairs over the lift and walking home from an earlier train or tube station.
What is psoriasis?
Roughly two per cent of the population – both men and women – are affected by psoriasis.
Prominent figures that deal with the skin problem are model Cara Delevingne and singer Cyndi Lauper.
TV personality Kim Kardashian has also described psoriasis as her “big flaw”, always “hoping for a cure”.
Sadly, there is no cure for psoriasis.
Patients have to learn to deal with the condition by finding a treatment that works for them.
But some have also found that modifying their diet helps.
Treatments
The NHS says: “A wide range of treatments are available for psoriasis, but identifying the most effective one can be difficult.”
Treatments fall into three categories.
First, topical creams and ointments applied to the skin are usually the first option to help with mild psoriasis.
If the condition has spread to the scalp, there are also shampoos and ointments that can help.
Examples include:
- Emollients to keep the skin moist and reduce water loss
- Steroid creams – which are only prescribable – to calm the skin
- Vitamin D analogues to slow the production of skin cells and reduce inflammation
- Calcineurin inhibitors to dampen inflammation and the immune system, sometimes in sensitive areas
- Coal tar to reduce scales and itchiness
- Dithranol to suppress the production of skin cells