Sex-Based Differences in the Association between Nutrition Label Awareness and the Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic allergic disease with multifactorial causation. Although its association with diet has been demonstrated, it remains unclear whether the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among adults is associated with nutrition label awareness. Nutrition label awareness indicates knowledge of the existence of nutrition labels on processed food, and the use of them for food selection. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the relationship between nutrition label awareness and the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among men and women using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI (2013–2015), including a nationally representative sample of 13,505 Korean adults (aged > 19 years). The relationship between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and nutrition label awareness was evaluated using t-tests, χ(2) tests and multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis. Although univariate analysis showed that atopic dermatitis was associated with nutrition label awareness in both men and women, after adjustment for covariates, there was no significant association among men. The significant association between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and nutrition label awareness among women reveals a sex-based difference in this relationship in adults, and atopic dermatitis may be managed and prevented among women by targeted education regarding nutrition labels and diet.