title: Association of atopic dermatitis with being overweight and obese: a systematic review and metaanalysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies found conflicting results about whether atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with overweight/obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to examine the relationship between AD and overweight/obesity by performing a systematic review and metaanalysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational studies of the relationship between AD and overweight/obesity were selected from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Fixed and random effects metaanalyses were performed to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs). Sensitivity analyses were performed that compared results by location of study, study quality, and between studies in children and adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 30 studies were included for review. Patients who were overweight (Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel [CMH] OR, 1.27 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.19-1.36]; random effects OR, 1.23 [95% CI: 1.11-1.41]), obese (CMH OR, 1.68 [95% CI: 1.54-1.84]; random effects OR, 1.47 [95% CI: 1.21-1.79]), or overweight/obese (CMH OR, 1.42 [95% CI: 1.34-1.50]; random effects OR, 1.31 [95% CI: 1.16-1.48]) had higher odds of AD than normal weight patients. In sensitivity analyses, children who were overweight (random effects OR, 1.24 [95% CI: 1.08-1.43]), obese (random effects OR, 1.44 [95% CI: 1.12-1.86]), or overweight/obese (random effects OR, 1.32 [95% CI: 1.15-1.51]) and adults who were obese (random effects OR, 1.56 [95% CI: 1.24-1.95]) or overweight/obese (random effects OR, 1.29 [95% CI: 1.05-1.59]) had higher odds of AD. The association remained significant in North America and Asia but not Europe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most studies were cross-sectional.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight/obesity in North America and Asia is associated with an increased prevalence of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: JonathanISilverberg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jonathan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Silverberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017594:Publication Bias; D044469:Racial Groups
keywords: adiposity; atopic dermatitis; body mass index; eczema; metaanalysis; obesity; overweight; prevalence