Adults who followed a Mediterranean-style diet were found to be less likely to report acne in the new research conducted by King’s College London. This was particularly the case in women. In men, diets lower in carbohydrates and higher in animal-based foods were linked to a greater likelihood of acne.

The researchers also found that cooked vegetables, cheese and yoghurt were associated with a lower likelihood of acne, while skimmed milk and milk-based desserts were linked to a greater likelihood of the condition.

Adult acne affects about 10% of UK adults. As the condition is more common in women, hormones are thought to be a key influence. However, genetics and the environment are also thought to play a role. Yet, there has been limited evidence on the link between diet and adult acne.

The new study addressed this gap, analysing data from 228,757 participants in the UK Biobank. Researchers identified 1,603 participants with current acne.

Lead author Bochen Li, a PhD student at King’s College London, said: “Our exploratory findings suggest that diet may relate to acne differently in women and men. We think this is a particularly interesting finding, as it could be an important step towards more targeted dietary guidance in the future. These differences may be partly linked to biology, including hormones, but they may also reflect differences in eating habits, symptom reporting and healthcare use between women and men. Further studies are now needed to confirm these patterns.”