Effect of a Low-Glycemic-Load Diet and Dietary Counseling on Acne Vulgaris Severity Among Female Patients Aged 15 to 35 Years.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether dietary counseling combined with a low-glycemic index diet could improve acne severity, post-acne lesions, and quality of life in female acne patients.
Results Summary
The study found that dietary counseling and a low-GL diet significantly reduced acne severity and improved skin health in the treatment group, with 45% achieving low-GL scores by the end of the study. However, the small sample size and lack of blinding may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Population
50 females aged 15-35 years in Pakistan, with acne.
Effective Dosage
Not explicitly stated, but dietary counseling focused on reducing high-GL food intake (scored 0-75, with lower scores indicating better adherence).
Duration
12 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low-glycemic index foods and dietary counseling | decrease | acne severity and lesions | adult females | - | can improve | #1 |
low-glycemic index foods and dietary counseling | increase | self-confidence and social acceptance | adult females | - | enhanced | #2 |
low-GL diet | decrease | GL scores | female acne patients aged 15-35 years | from 60% to 40% high-GL scores | showed significant improvement | #3 |
low-GL diet | decrease | average acne severity | female acne patients aged 15-35 years | from 2.68 to 1.56 | decrease | #4 |
low-GL diet | increase | water intake | female acne patients aged 15-35 years | - | increase | #5 |
low-GL diet | increase | better skin health | female acne patients aged 15-35 years | - | promoted | #6 |
high-GL foods | increase | higher acne severity | female acne patients aged 15-35 years | 70% had GL scores above 55 | correlated with | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Acne is significantly influenced by glycemic load (GL), which is the result of the quantity of carbohydrates consumed and how quickly they are metabolized. There is an association between high-GL foods and severe acne. Such diets increase insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, which then stimulate sebum production and androgen hormone release, which ultimately results in the development of acne. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence of acne in South Asia, but there is a lack of study on acne and its determinants among females in Pakistan. AIM: This study aims to assess the effect of low-glycemic index foods and dietary counseling in potentially improving the quality of life of female acne patients and reducing post-acne lesions and the severity of the disease. METHODS: The sample size consisted of 50 females aged 15-35 years. The study aimed to see how a low-GL diet could affect the severity of acne. The trial included 50 participants, split into two groups: 25 in the control group and 25 in the treatment group. The trial went on for 12 weeks and used a food questionnaire to gather data each month. Participants were given scores based on how much high-GL food they ate. The score range between 0 and 35 showed a low intake of high-GL foods, and a score range between 35 and 55 was considered to be the average intake of high-GL foods. A score range between 55 and 75 showed a very high intake of high-GL foods. Higher scores indicated higher GL food consumption. RESULTS: In the control group, after one month, 18 participants (70%) had GL scores above 55, which correlated with higher acne severity. In contrast, only three participants (12%) had low-GL scores (0-35). The treatment group showed significant improvement; initially, 15 participants (60%) had high-GL scores, but this number decreased to nine participants (40%) by the end of the study. After three months, 10 participants (45%) in the treatment group achieved low-GL scores (0-35), compared to only two participants (10%) in the control group. This improvement was accompanied by a decrease in average acne severity from 2.68 to 1.56 and an increase in water intake and promoted better skin health among females. CONCLUSION: Dietary counseling along with low-GL foods can improve acne severity and lesions in adult females. This treatment also enhanced self-confidence and social acceptance.