A new study has found that excessive salt intake may be part of the reason why eczema affects one in 10 persons. Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition with a range of symptoms, such as severe itching, redness, oozing and rashes.

According to the National Eczema Association, the condition is typically triggered by genetic and environmental factors and often results from an overactive immune system. However, other environmental factors, like diet, can trigger flare-ups. A study published in JAMA Dermatology found that consuming just one additional gram (1,000 milligrams) of sodium daily may raise eczema risk by 22 per cent.

For this cross-sectional study, researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) analysed data from the urine samples and electronic medical records of more than 215,000 people ages 30 to 70 from the UK Biobank. The research team measured salt levels in urine and correlated higher salt excretion with increased odds of eczema diagnosis, severity and active cases.