| Title: | Physical activity as a potential nonpharmacologic strategy to prevent seborrheic dermatitis: a cohort study in the UK biobank |
| Journal: | Journal of Dermatological Treatment |
| Published: | 30 Mar 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41910095/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2026.2646001 |
Publication 18156
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with limited long-term treatment options. The association between physical activity and incident SD, as well as the potential mediating role of depressive symptoms, remains unclear.</p>
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between physical activity and incident SD and to assess whether depressive symptoms mediate this relationship.</p>
METHODS: Data from 396,903 participants in the UK Biobank were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between physical activity and incident SD. Regression-based mediation analyses were performed to quantify the extent to which depressive symptoms mediated this association.</p>
RESULTS: Physical activity above the recommended minimum (≥600 MET-min/week) was associated with a lower risk of incident SD. The greatest risk reduction was observed at 3-5 times the recommended level (1,800-3,000 MET-min/week; HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.90). Participants meeting criteria for healthy physical activity had a 28% lower risk of incident SD (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-0.81). Mediation analyses showed that 17% of the protective association was explained by reduced depressive symptoms (indirect HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.77-0.88), while 16% was attributable to the direct effect of physical activity (direct HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77-0.93).</p>
CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity may serve as a non-pharmacologic strategy for the prevention of SD, partly through alleviating depressive symptoms. The maximal benefit was observed at 3-5 times the recommended minimum activity level.</p>
15 Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Biological Specimen Banks
- Cohort Studies
- Depression
- Dermatitis, Seborrheic
- Exercise
- Female
- Humans
- Incidence
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Proportional Hazards Models
- UK Biobank
- United Kingdom
6 Authors
- Ziye Yang
- Tong Zhang
- Tongtong Zhang
- Jiachen Liu
- Rui Mao
- Li Yang
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