Cutaneous Manifestations of Obesity in the Pediatric Age Group: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Obesity is usually associated with a multitude of systemic effects such as increased risk of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance. Insulin resistance and latent chronic inflammation can lead to cutaneous and systemic effects. We performed a comprehensive English language literature search across multiple databases for keywords (alone or in combination). Both Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and non-MeSH terms such as “childhood obesity,” “pediatric obesity,” “cutaneous manifestations,” “skin manifestations,” and “dermatological features” were used. In the last few decades, the proportion of overweight and obese children has increased markedly worldwide. Obesity can cause or worsen a wide range of dermatological conditions, such as acanthosis nigricans, skin tags (acrochordons), hirsutism, striae distensae (stretch marks), acne vulgaris, hidradenitis suppurativa, intertrigo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, chronic venous insufficiency, and plantar callosities. Dermatologists, pediatricians, and family physicians should be aware of these features for prompt diagnosis, prevention, and management.