The $30 million toe in the water

New research confirms weight loss can significantly improve psoriasis, prompting calls for weight-loss programs to be part of standard care.

For two decades, Janine Price suffered with agonizing, itchy red patches across her body and debilitatingly painful joints.

It came on completely without warning,when she was pregnant with her first child, recalls the 50-year-old mother of two.

Why 4 ,000 unsold units became the prize

Research estimates 80 per cent of psoriasis sufferers are overweight or obese.

We know that fat tissue is inflammatory, says Dr Sarah Morrow, a dermatologist at the University of Oxford.

It produces chemicals that promote inflammation - the body's response to injury or illness.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

Experts are calling for weight-loss interventions to be part of standard psoriasis care.

The review of 14 studies, analyzing some 1,000 patients, was published by researchers at the University of Oxford, who found weight loss improved the quality of life of sufferers and reduced symptoms.

They also found that greater weight loss was generally linked with greater improvement in psoriasis, and that people who started with a more severe condition often saw larger benefits.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

Dr Morrow admits that there is no magic weight-loss plan, but following a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly will see an improvement in symptoms.

Some research has suggested the Mediterranean diet may also help improve psoriasis symptoms.

A 2025 study found half the participants who followed the diet - which is plant-based and rich in healthy fats and wholegrains - over 16 weeks saw a 75 per cent reduction in symptoms.