Did Rural Populations Around the World Reveal the Best Acne Diet?
But researchers have long been puzzled by the lack of acne symptoms in many areas of the world, even among teenagers, usually the hardest hit by these hormonal outbreaks. The Archives of Dermatology published the results of a study that examined two rural populations, one in New Guinea and one in Paraguay, in search of a link between diet and acne; the study was hindered, however, because there were absolutely no cases of acne in the teenage population, which limited the useful comparisons within the group the researchers examined. Another interesting study compared the incidence of acne between rural Japanese teenagers and those in urban areas of Japan; the contrast was striking. Teenagers from rural areas showed few or no outbreaks; urban youth presented more numerous and more serious cases of acne. While no direct conclusions were reached, the implications were clear; something in the “Westernized” lifestyles of urban youth was increasing the likelihood of acne outbreaks.
