Researchers of a prospective cohort study of 433,788 participants from the UK Biobank investigated the association between high salt intake and the risk of developing psoriasis. The study found that participants who frequently added salt to their foods had a significantly increased risk of psoriasis. Specifically, those who “always” added salt had a 25% higher risk compared to those who “never/rarely” added salt. The study also revealed that individuals with both a high genetic risk for psoriasis and a high frequency of salt addition had a 149% higher risk of developing the condition. These findings were consistent across different subgroups.

In a mediation analysis, the study demonstrated that 1.8% to 3.2% of the association between high salt intake and psoriasis risk was mediated by obesity and inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein and the systemic immune-inflammation index. The results suggest that the positive link between salt intake and psoriasis risk is independent of other risk factors but may be partially influenced by obesity and inflammation. These findings highlight the potential role of dietary salt in psoriasis development and suggest avenues for further research.

Reference: Zhou G, Gan L, Zhao B, et al. Adding salt to foods and risk of psoriasis: A prospective cohort study. J Autoimmun. 2024;147:103259. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2024.103259.