Obesity Measures Linked to Psoriasis Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Nationwide Study Finds
Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are independently associated with the risk of developing psoriasis among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), according to a large retrospective cohort study using nationwide data. The findings provide new insight into how obesity-related factors may influence psoriasis risk in a population already predisposed to metabolic and inflammatory comorbidities.
The study analyzed data from 2,480,489 adults diagnosed with T2DM and followed them for a mean of nearly 7 years. During follow up, 71,514 patients (2.88%) were newly diagnosed with psoriasis. Investigators examined the relationship between anthropometric measures and psoriasis incidence after adjusting for multiple clinical and demographic variables.
BMI demonstrated a J-shaped association with psoriasis risk. Both lower and higher BMI categories were associated with increased hazard ratios for psoriasis compared with reference BMI ranges, suggesting that extremes of body weight may contribute to disease risk in patients with T2DM. In contrast, waist circumference showed a linear relationship with psoriasis risk. Patients in the highest waist circumference category had the greatest risk of developing psoriasis, with a hazard ratio of 1.123.
The authors concluded that “understanding the relationship between psoriasis risk and obesity in diabetic individuals holds the potential to enhance the management of patients with T2DM.” They emphasized that central adiposity, reflected by waist circumference, may be a particularly relevant marker of psoriasis risk in this population.
For dermatologists, the key takeaway is that patients with T2DM represent a high-risk group for psoriasis, and obesity—especially abdominal obesity—appears to further increase that risk. Waist circumference may offer additional risk stratification beyond BMI alone, reflecting the contribution of visceral fat and systemic inflammation.
These findings reinforce the importance of considering metabolic health when evaluating patients with psoriasis or those at risk for developing the disease. Close collaboration with primary care and endocrinology, along with counseling on weight management, may play a role not only in metabolic control but also in modifying psoriasis risk among patients with T2DM.
Reference
Yoo S, Han K, Lee JH. Association between psoriasis risk and body mass index and waist circumference in diabetes: a population-based cohort study. Ann Dermatol. 2026;38(1):19-26. doi:10.5021/ad.25.142
