Our findings indicate an increasing prevalence of self-reported psoriasis. This could represent a true increase in prevalence, possibly due to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors, or an increased awareness of the disease.

We examined the effects of a 10–14-weeks inpatient lifestyle modification program, including minimum 90 min of physical activity (PA) five days/week, on body composition, CVD risk factors, and eating behavior in 139 obese subjects (BMI 42.6 ± 5.2 kg/m2). Completion rate was 71% (n = 71) in the intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) group and 85% (n = 33) among waiting list controls. Compared to controls body weight (−17.0 (95% CI: −18.7, −15.3) kg, P < 0.0001), fat mass (−15.2 (95% CI: −17.4, −13.1) kg, P < 0.0001), fat free mass (−1.2 (95% CI: −2.2, −0.2) kg, P = 0.016) and visceral fat (−86.6(95% CI: −97.4, −75.7) cm2, P < 0.0001) were reduced in the ILI-group after 10–14 weeks. Within the ILI-group weight loss was −23.8 (95% CI: −25.9, −21.7) kg, P < 0.0001 and -20.3 (95% CI: −23.3, −17.3) kg, P < 0.0001, after six and 12 months, respectively. Systolic BP, glucose, triglycerides, and LDL-C were reduced, and HDL-C was increased (all P ≤ 0.006) after 10–14 weeks within the ILI group. The reduction in glucose and increase in HDL-C were sustained after 12 months (all P < 0.0001). After one year, weight loss was related to increased cognitive restraint and decreased uncontrolled eating (all P < 0.05). Thus, ILI including high volume of PA resulted in weight loss with almost maintenance of fat-free mass, favorable changes in CVD risk factors, and eating behavior in subjects with severe obesity.

Vitamin D induces the expression of antimicrobial peptides with activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, we studied the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and S. aureus nasal colonization and carriage. Nasal swabs, blood samples and clinical data from 2,115 women and 1,674 men, aged 30–87 years, were collected in the Tromsø Staph and Skin Study 2007–08, as part of the population-based sixth Tromsø Study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were stratified by recognized risk factors for S. aureus carriage: sex, age and smoking. In non-smoking men, we observed a 6.6% and 6.7% decrease in the probability of S. aureus colonization and carriage, respectively, by each 5 nmol/l increase in serum 25(OH)D concentration (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001), and serum 25(OH)D > 59 nmol/l and ≥75 nmol/l as thresholds for ~30% and ~50% reduction in S. aureus colonization and carriage. In non-smoking men aged 44–60 years, the odds ratio for S. aureus colonization was 0.44 (95% confidence interval, 0.28−0.69) in the top tertile of serum 25(OH)D versus the bottom tertile. In women and smokers there were no such associations. Our study supports that serum vitamin D is a determinant of S. aureus colonization and carriage.

BackgroundQuestions remain concerning to what extent age and sex may modify the suggested association between psoriasis and the metabolic syndrome in the general population.ObjectivesTo investigate the association between psoriasis and the metabolic syndrome within a large population-based cohort by age and sex.MethodsA cross-sectional study including 10 521 participants aged 30–79 years from the Tromsø Study cohort was performed; 1137 participants reported lifetime psoriasis of a mainly mild character. The new harmonized definition of metabolic syndrome was used in the multivariable logistic regression analysis.ResultsThere was a uniformly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in men and women with psoriasis compared with those without across all age groups. In women, psoriasis was associated with a 3·8-times higher odds of metabolic syndrome at age 30 years (95% confidence interval 1·5–9·7), with a decreasing odds ratio with increasing age. In men, psoriasis was associated with a stable 1·35-times higher odds of metabolic syndrome (95% confidence interval 1·1–1·6) at all ages. Abdominal obesity was the most frequent metabolic syndrome component in women in this study, and there was indication of a dose–response relationship between psoriasis severity, indicated through treatment, and having a high waistline in women.ConclusionsThis study suggests age and sex variations in the risk of metabolic syndrome among individuals with psoriasis. Given the high prevalence of psoriasis and the significantly elevated burden of metabolic syndrome in this patient group, there may be a benefit from targeted screening of metabolic syndrome among individuals with psoriasis regardless of age and disease severity.