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Abstract

Background: While the role of nutrition in overall health is widely acknowledged, its impact on skin health is often overlooked in adolescent education. Integrating diet-focused messaging into dermatology outreach may promote a more holistic understanding of skin wellness. This study evaluated the feasibility and early outcomes of a brief educational station on diet and skin health delivered as part of a broader dermatology event for high school students in a predominantly Hispanic community.

Methods: Students from a public health professions high school rotated through a “Diet & Skin Health” station within the Sun Smart Leaders workshop, a multi-station dermatology education event. The session included a short interactive presentation emphasizing hydration, antioxidant-rich foods, and the role of vitamins in skin integrity. Students completed pre- and post-surveys measuring knowledge across five domains: (1) hydration and skin health, (2) vitamin C and collagen synthesis, (3) overall impact of diet on skin appearance, (4) belief in “skin-friendly” foods, and (5) understanding of which dietary patterns promote healthy skin. Chi-square tests assessed shifts in response patterns, and Cramér’s V was used to evaluate effect sizes.

Results: A total of 92 pre-surveys and 87 post-surveys were analyzed. While no statistically significant changes were detected, small effect sizes across several domains suggest modest knowledge shifts. Encouragingly, recognition of hydration’s skin benefits rose from 90.0% to 96.6% (Cramér’s V = 0.14), and identification of dairy as an acne trigger increased from 65.2% to 71.3% (V = 0.076). However, awareness of vitamin C’s role in collagen synthesis declined (84.4% to 73.6%, V = 0.18), and belief in the sugar-acne link dipped slightly. Across all five domains, baseline knowledge was relatively high—particularly regarding hydration, diet quality, and “skin-friendly” foods—suggesting a ceiling effect may have limited the intervention’s measurable impact. Nonetheless, subtle gains in hydration and dietary myth rejection support the feasibility of integrating nutrition messaging into dermatology outreach.

Conclusion: While this pilot station did not yield statistically significant gains, it revealed high baseline awareness and affirmed the feasibility of integrating nutrition into dermatology education. Future iterations may benefit from enhanced myth-busting content, interactive case comparisons, and stronger visual reinforcement. These insights support the value of a more holistic, diet-informed skin health curriculum in adolescent outreach.

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Diet and Dermatology: A Pilot Study of Skin Health Education Among Adolescents

Background: While the role of nutrition in overall health is widely acknowledged, its impact on skin health is often overlooked in adolescent education. Integrating diet-focused messaging into dermatology outreach may promote a more holistic understanding of skin wellness. This study evaluated the feasibility and early outcomes of a brief educational station on diet and skin health delivered as part of a broader dermatology event for high school students in a predominantly Hispanic community.

Methods: Students from a public health professions high school rotated through a “Diet & Skin Health” station within the Sun Smart Leaders workshop, a multi-station dermatology education event. The session included a short interactive presentation emphasizing hydration, antioxidant-rich foods, and the role of vitamins in skin integrity. Students completed pre- and post-surveys measuring knowledge across five domains: (1) hydration and skin health, (2) vitamin C and collagen synthesis, (3) overall impact of diet on skin appearance, (4) belief in “skin-friendly” foods, and (5) understanding of which dietary patterns promote healthy skin. Chi-square tests assessed shifts in response patterns, and Cramér’s V was used to evaluate effect sizes.

Results: A total of 92 pre-surveys and 87 post-surveys were analyzed. While no statistically significant changes were detected, small effect sizes across several domains suggest modest knowledge shifts. Encouragingly, recognition of hydration’s skin benefits rose from 90.0% to 96.6% (Cramér’s V = 0.14), and identification of dairy as an acne trigger increased from 65.2% to 71.3% (V = 0.076). However, awareness of vitamin C’s role in collagen synthesis declined (84.4% to 73.6%, V = 0.18), and belief in the sugar-acne link dipped slightly. Across all five domains, baseline knowledge was relatively high—particularly regarding hydration, diet quality, and “skin-friendly” foods—suggesting a ceiling effect may have limited the intervention’s measurable impact. Nonetheless, subtle gains in hydration and dietary myth rejection support the feasibility of integrating nutrition messaging into dermatology outreach.

Conclusion: While this pilot station did not yield statistically significant gains, it revealed high baseline awareness and affirmed the feasibility of integrating nutrition into dermatology education. Future iterations may benefit from enhanced myth-busting content, interactive case comparisons, and stronger visual reinforcement. These insights support the value of a more holistic, diet-informed skin health curriculum in adolescent outreach.

 

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