High sodium levels could be linked to increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis, according to a JAMA Dermatology study published June 5.

A cross-sectional study of 215,832 adults found that a 1-g higher estimated 24-hour urine sodium excretion was associated with 11% higher odds of atopic dermatitis diagnosis, 16% higher odds of active atopic dermatitis, and 11% higher odds of increasing severity of the condition.

“These findings suggest that restriction of dietary sodium intake may be a cost-effective and low-risk intervention for AD,” the study’s authors write.

The study involved adults ages 37 to 73 from the UK Biobank. Samples were collected between March 31, 2006, and October 1, 2010, and the data were analyzed between February 23, 2022, and March 20, 2024. The authors were affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of California, Berkeley.