Study on Food-Intake and Atopic Dermatitis among Adolescents: Findings from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between demographic characteristics and atopic dermatitis, along with adolescents' body mass index. Also, this study explored the association between dietary intakes (fruits, soda, caffeinated beverages, instant food, cracker, vegetables, and milk) of adolescents and atopic dermatitis. Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey for 2014 was used for data analysis, in which a total of 3,532,149 middle and high school students participated. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and logistic regression based on the complex sample design using SPSS ver.20.0 statistics. The results showed that males had a higher prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis than females. The significant association between body mass index and atopic dermatitis was found (F=46.625, P<0.001). Students who have higher levels of body mass index showed a higher prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis. Finally, the findings showed that the intake of vegetable and milk had associations with atopic dermatitis (F=6.795, P<0.001). Greater vegetable intake was associated with less atopic dermatitis whereas greater milk intake was associated with more atopic dermatitis prevalence. Based on the above results, we found that demographic characteristics, body mass index, and some dietary food intakes of adolescents had influences on prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis.