Lifestyle Medicine and Psoriasis in Viet Nam: Weight Management, Cardiometabolic Risk, and Treatment Continuity

Lifestyle Medicine and Psoriasis in Viet Nam: Weight Management, Cardiometabolic Risk, and Treatment Continuity

Primary category: Evidence & Clinical Practice

Secondary category: Lifestyle Medicine in Viet Nam

Article type: VLMA Perspective

Last reviewed: October 30, 2026

For someone living with psoriasis, the most difficult part of the disease may not be what other people can see. Persistent itching can make sleep difficult. Painful plaques on the hands may interfere with work, while lesions affecting the scalp or other sensitive areas can cause considerable discomfort and embarrassment.

Alongside questions about medication, patients may wonder whether changing their diet, losing weight, exercising more, or managing stress could improve their condition. Some may even hope that lifestyle changes will eventually allow them to stop treatment.

These questions deserve careful answers. Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease influenced by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. Lifestyle-related factors can affect disease severity, associated health risks, and quality of life, but they do not fully explain why psoriasis develops. The condition is not contagious, and patients should not be blamed for having it.

Evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine has a role in psoriasis care, particularly through appropriate weight management, cardiovascular and metabolic risk reduction, and support for sustainable health behaviors. Its benefits, however, need to be understood alongside established dermatological treatment.

Recent research and clinical guidance published in 2025 and 2026 provide a useful opportunity to examine where lifestyle interventions can help, where evidence remains uncertain, and what comprehensive psoriasis care could mean for healthcare professionals in Viet Nam.

Psoriasis Is More Than a Visible Skin Condition

Psoriasis commonly presents as well-defined, inflamed plaques with overlying scales. The appearance and extent of the disease vary considerably, and affected areas may include the scalp, elbows, knees, trunk, nails, palms, soles, and genital region.

Although the extent of skin involvement is important, it does not always reflect the burden of the disease. A patient with a small affected area on the palms may experience considerable difficulty performing manual tasks. Nail involvement can interfere with everyday activities, while scalp or genital psoriasis may affect sleep, relationships, confidence, and emotional well-being.

The German S3 guideline for psoriasis vulgaris, updated in January and February 2026 and adapted from EuroGuiDerm, emphasizes individualized treatment goals, disease severity assessment, comorbidities, and the impact of psoriasis on daily functioning. It recognizes that involvement of sensitive or high-impact anatomical areas may require treatment decisions that differ from those based solely on the percentage of affected skin. [3,4]

A modified Delphi consensus published in July 2026 also addressed psoriasis management across the Asia–Pacific region. Dermatology experts from Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Taiwan developed recommendations concerning severity assessment, treatment goals, and eligibility for systemic treatment. Their conclusions emphasize a patient-centered approach and timely consideration of appropriate systemic therapy rather than unnecessary delays caused by rigid treatment sequences. [5]

These recommendations reflect expert consensus rather than results from a randomized treatment trial. They also do not constitute a Vietnamese national clinical guideline, and Vietnamese experts were not among the participating markets.

For healthcare professionals, the central consideration is that psoriasis assessment should include symptoms, anatomical involvement, functional limitations, quality of life, and associated health conditions rather than rely on visible skin involvement alone.

Weight Management: What Does the Evidence Actually Show?

The relationship between obesity and psoriasis has attracted increasing research interest. Excess adipose tissue contributes to metabolic and inflammatory processes, and overweight and obesity are associated with greater psoriasis severity in some populations.

This makes weight management a relevant part of care for patients who have both psoriasis and excess body weight. However, recommending weight loss is not the same as demonstrating that weight reduction will consistently improve psoriasis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis by Morrow and colleagues, published online in December 2025 and included in the June 2026 issue of the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, examined 13 randomized controlled trials involving 1,145 participants. The interventions included dietary changes, combinations of diet and physical activity, and weight-loss medications. [1]

Across the included comparisons, weight-loss interventions were associated with improvements in psoriasis severity and dermatology-related quality of life. The pooled difference in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index favored weight-loss interventions by approximately 2.5 points compared with control interventions.

Nevertheless, the findings require careful interpretation. The studies differed in their populations, interventions, and treatment circumstances. Statistical heterogeneity was substantial, with an I-squared value of approximately 85%. When studies at high risk of bias were excluded, the estimated reduction in psoriasis severity became smaller, at approximately 1.2 points.

A second systematic review and network meta-analysis by Huo and colleagues, published in Frontiers in Nutrition in August 2026, examined nine randomized trials involving 1,066 participants with psoriasis or psoriatic disease and overweight or obesity. The researchers compared low-energy diets, aerobic exercise, and combined dietary and exercise interventions. [2]

Low-energy dietary interventions showed the most consistent short-term reductions in body weight and body mass index. However, the evidence did not establish that any one approach was clearly superior for improving psoriasis severity. Combined dietary restriction and aerobic exercise produced a favorable numerical estimate for the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, but the uncertainty interval included no effect. The authors assessed the certainty of evidence as low.

These reviews are not necessarily contradictory. They examined related but different questions, used different intervention classifications, and applied different analytical approaches. Taken together, they suggest that weight management can offer additional benefits for appropriately selected patients, while uncertainty remains about the most effective strategy and the magnitude of improvement in psoriasis itself.

In clinical practice, weight-management goals should reflect the patient's nutritional status, associated conditions, treatment preferences, and capacity to sustain changes. A person with a healthy body weight should not be advised to lose weight simply because they have psoriasis. Similarly, unintended weight loss, frailty, or nutritional vulnerability may require a different approach.

Most importantly, weight loss should not become a condition that patients must meet before receiving necessary dermatological treatment.

There Is No Established Universal Psoriasis Diet

Dietary advice is one of the areas in which patients with psoriasis may encounter conflicting information.

Online discussions frequently recommend eliminating gluten, dairy products, sugar, red meat, or entire food groups. Other sources promote particular diets, supplements, or detoxification programs as ways to control inflammation or permanently eliminate psoriasis.

Current evidence does not establish a single dietary pattern that reliably prevents or cures psoriasis. Dietary interventions may have value for specific patients, particularly when overweight, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, or other nutritional concerns are present. However, their effects on general metabolic health should not automatically be interpreted as direct effects on psoriatic inflammation.

Balanced eating patterns that emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and appropriate sources of unsaturated fats can support cardiovascular and metabolic health. These benefits are relevant because cardiometabolic conditions frequently coexist with psoriasis.

Gluten avoidance illustrates why individual circumstances matter. A gluten-free diet is indicated for people with confirmed celiac disease and may be appropriate for other established medical reasons. There is insufficient evidence, however, to recommend routine gluten elimination for everyone living with psoriasis.

Similar caution applies to supplements such as fish oil, vitamin D, curcumin, and probiotics. Although some studies have reported potentially beneficial effects, findings vary across products, doses, participants, and outcomes. These interventions should not be presented as established substitutes for dermatological treatment.

When a nutritional deficiency is identified, appropriate supplementation may be necessary to correct that deficiency. This is a distinct clinical indication and does not necessarily mean that the supplement treats psoriasis itself.

In Viet Nam, dietary counseling should also reflect what people actually eat and what they can reasonably afford. Traditional meals may already provide opportunities to increase vegetables, legumes, and other nutritious foods without requiring patients to adopt unfamiliar or expensive imported products.

Restrictive diets can create additional financial, nutritional, and social burdens. Recommendations therefore need to consider the whole person, including household food practices, work schedules, associated medical conditions, and personal preferences.

A practical dietary approach should support nutritional adequacy and broader health while avoiding promises that particular foods can cure psoriasis.

Cardiometabolic Risk Deserves Attention During Psoriasis Care

Psoriasis is associated with an increased burden of several cardiometabolic conditions, including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Chronic systemic inflammation may contribute to cardiovascular risk, although the extent of additional risk varies according to psoriasis severity, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and individual clinical characteristics.

This does not mean that every person with psoriasis has cardiovascular disease or requires extensive cardiovascular investigations. It does mean that dermatological care should not overlook potentially important health risks beyond the skin.

In 2025, the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network published practical recommendations on cardiovascular risk evaluation. The consensus emphasizes cooperation between dermatologists, rheumatologists, primary care physicians, and cardiovascular specialists to improve recognition and management of cardiovascular risk. [6]

Depending on individual risk, assessment may include blood pressure, smoking status, body weight, lipid concentrations, and measures of glucose metabolism. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or additional cardiovascular risk factors may warrant particular attention.

Lifestyle-related interventions have an established role in managing many of these risks. Appropriate physical activity, improved dietary quality, tobacco cessation, and weight management when indicated can contribute to cardiovascular prevention.

However, lifestyle interventions are not sufficient for every patient. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and established cardiovascular disease may also require medication, monitoring, and specialist care.

An improvement in psoriasis lesions does not demonstrate that cardiovascular risk has disappeared. Equally, improving blood pressure or metabolic health does not guarantee a comparable improvement in psoriasis severity.

Both outcomes matter, but they need to be assessed separately.

Psoriatic Arthritis Must Not Be Overlooked

An important part of comprehensive psoriasis care is recognizing possible psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory musculoskeletal disease that may affect peripheral joints, the spine, tendons, and entheses, where tendons and ligaments attach to bone. It often develops in people with existing skin psoriasis, although the sequence and presentation can vary.

Symptoms may include persistent joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, swollen fingers or toes, heel pain, or inflammatory back symptoms.

These complaints should not automatically be attributed to aging, repetitive physical activity, excess body weight, or ordinary mechanical joint problems.

A 2026 guideline published in the Chinese Medical Journal addresses diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and comorbidity management in psoriatic arthritis. It reinforces the importance of recognizing inflammatory musculoskeletal disease and ensuring appropriate evaluation. [7]

Screening questionnaires, including the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool, may help identify people who require further assessment. However, a positive questionnaire does not establish a diagnosis, and musculoskeletal symptoms can have several possible causes.

When symptoms are persistent or clinically concerning, appropriate assessment and referral to rheumatology may be necessary. Delayed recognition of active inflammatory joint disease can allow structural damage to develop in some patients.

Physical activity remains relevant for cardiovascular health, physical function, and general well-being. However, exercise recommendations may need to be modified when joints are painful, swollen, or functionally limited.

Lifestyle interventions can support the broader health of people with psoriatic arthritis, but they do not replace disease-modifying treatment when it is clinically indicated.

Treatment Continuity Is Part of Effective Psoriasis Care

Psoriasis commonly follows a chronic, relapsing course. Some patients experience long periods of good disease control, while others continue to have symptoms or develop recurrent flares despite treatment.

The treatment approach depends on disease severity, anatomical involvement, previous response, comorbidities, safety considerations, and patient preferences.

Topical treatment remains important for many people with limited disease. Phototherapy, conventional systemic medicines, and targeted treatments, including biologic therapies, may be appropriate for selected patients.

The updated German S3 guideline reflects advances in systemic psoriasis treatment and emphasizes individualized treatment selection, clinically meaningful treatment goals, and appropriate monitoring. [3,4]

For patients requiring long-term treatment, continuity can be as important as the initial treatment choice.

Some patients stop medication when their skin becomes clear because they believe the disease has resolved. Others interrupt treatment because of financial difficulties, concerns about adverse effects, transportation problems, or the inconvenience of repeated follow-up appointments.

These situations require understanding and discussion rather than automatically interpreting treatment interruption as a lack of motivation.

Patients should understand why treatment has been prescribed, what benefits can reasonably be expected, which adverse effects require attention, and when reassessment is necessary.

Treatment may need to be adjusted when the response is inadequate, adverse effects occur, or clinical circumstances change. However, decisions to reduce, interrupt, switch, or discontinue prescribed treatment require appropriate professional assessment.

An international Delphi consensus published in April 2026 examined dose reduction of biologic treatments in adults with well-controlled psoriasis. The expert panel identified selected circumstances in which dose reduction could be considered, with attention to stable disease control, shared decision-making, and continued monitoring. [8]

This consensus does not establish a universal approach applicable to every biologic medicine or every patient. Evidence and treatment characteristics differ between medicines.

Patients therefore should not independently extend treatment intervals or reduce doses because their skin appears clear.

Lifestyle Medicine can contribute by helping patients understand their condition, address barriers to sustainable health behaviors, and participate meaningfully in long-term care. It should not promote medication reduction as evidence that lifestyle change has been successful.

Infection Screening and Treatment Safety in Viet Nam

When psoriasis requires systemic therapies that affect immune function, treatment safety becomes particularly important.

The February 2026 update of the German S3 guideline includes revised recommendations concerning tuberculosis screening, latent tuberculosis management, and viral hepatitis assessment in patients receiving selected systemic treatments. [4]

These issues are relevant in Viet Nam, where tuberculosis and hepatitis B remain important public health and clinical concerns.

Before initiating certain biologic or other systemic medicines, clinicians may need to assess previous tuberculosis, exposure history, relevant investigations, and the possibility of latent infection.

The appropriate screening and management strategy depends on the medicine, individual risk, medical history, and applicable professional guidance. Different systemic therapies have different infection-related risk profiles, so one uniform screening or preventive treatment approach should not be assumed appropriate for every medicine.

Hepatitis B requires similar attention. Some immunomodulatory treatments can create a risk of viral reactivation, including in selected patients with evidence of previous hepatitis B infection.

Depending on the patient's hepatitis B status and planned psoriasis treatment, additional investigation, monitoring, specialist consultation, or antiviral prophylaxis may be appropriate.

Importantly, the presence of latent tuberculosis or hepatitis B does not necessarily mean that all effective psoriasis treatments are unavailable. With appropriate assessment and coordination between qualified specialists, treatment may remain possible while infection-related risks are addressed.

Vaccination history, pregnancy planning, associated medical conditions, and concurrent medication use may also affect treatment selection.

These decisions belong within authorized clinical care. Lifestyle education cannot substitute for infection assessment, medication safety monitoring, or specialist judgment.

Patients with rapidly worsening widespread skin redness, extensive pustular eruptions, fever, or systemic illness may require urgent medical evaluation because these presentations can indicate severe psoriasis or another serious condition.

What Research From Viet Nam Tells Us

International evidence is valuable, but understanding the experience of patients receiving care in Viet Nam also requires local research.

A study by Bui and colleagues, published in Clinical Neuropsychiatry in June 2026, examined health-related quality of life among 149 patients with psoriasis vulgaris at a tertiary hospital in Viet Nam. Data were collected between March and December 2023. [9]

The researchers used the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index to assess disease severity and the five-level EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire to evaluate health-related quality of life.

The mean health utility index was 0.85. Pain or discomfort was reported by 68.5% of participants, while 36.2% reported problems in the questionnaire's anxiety/depression dimension.

These findings describe self-reported health difficulties. They should not be interpreted as indicating that 36.2% of participants had clinically diagnosed anxiety or depressive disorders.

The study also found that health-related quality of life was lower among participants with more severe psoriasis. The mean health utility index was 0.87 among those with mild psoriasis and 0.68 among those with severe disease.

These results draw attention to the physical and emotional burden that psoriasis can impose, including symptoms that may not be fully reflected in routine descriptions of skin involvement.

However, the study was cross-sectional and involved patients attending a selected tertiary hospital. Its findings cannot establish causation, represent the national psoriasis population, or demonstrate the effectiveness of a particular lifestyle intervention.

The study's contribution is more specific: it provides locally relevant evidence that psoriasis care needs to consider pain, emotional well-being, and everyday functioning.

Further Vietnamese research could examine how associated cardiometabolic risks are identified, how possible psoriatic arthritis is recognized, what prevents treatment continuity, and whether structured supportive interventions produce measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

Measuring Outcomes That Matter to Patients

Clinical improvement in psoriasis is commonly assessed using measures such as the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Physician Global Assessment, and the percentage of affected body surface area.

These tools provide valuable information about disease activity and treatment response. However, they do not capture every aspect of the patient's experience.

A person may have a relatively small area of affected skin but continue to experience severe itching, sleep disruption, embarrassment, or difficulty working. Another may achieve substantial improvement in visible plaques while remaining concerned about joint symptoms or the burden of ongoing treatment.

Patient-reported outcomes therefore provide an important complement to clinical measures.

The Dermatology Life Quality Index is one widely used instrument for evaluating the effect of skin conditions on symptoms, daily activities, work, relationships, and quality of life.

A 2026 international scoping study brought together 35 experts, including 12 patient representatives and 23 dermatologists from 22 countries, to help develop a more patient-centered outcomes framework for psoriasis. [10]

The work proposed 18 patient-relevant outcomes and two patient-experience measures. Patient input contributed to the inclusion of outcomes concerning stigma and flare-ups, while communication and confidence in care were recognized as important aspects of the patient experience.

The study was preparatory work toward further international consensus and validation. Its proposed measurement framework should not be presented as an already established global standard.

Nevertheless, the research reinforces a useful principle: patients and clinicians may not always prioritize exactly the same outcomes.

For someone living with psoriasis, successful care may involve being able to sleep comfortably, return to work, participate in social activities, maintain relationships, or feel less self-conscious about visible lesions.

Such outcomes deserve attention alongside skin clearance and clinical disease control.

The same distinction applies when evaluating lifestyle interventions. Weight loss, improved blood pressure, better physical fitness, or improved sleep may represent meaningful health benefits even when psoriasis severity changes little.

Conversely, improvement in psoriasis following the introduction of effective systemic therapy should not automatically be attributed to dietary or physical activity changes introduced around the same time.

Clear outcome definitions help clinicians and patients understand what a particular intervention has achieved and where further treatment or support may be needed.

Strengthening Comprehensive Psoriasis Care in Viet Nam

Viet Nam's Ministry of Health issued Decision No. 4416/QĐ-BYT on December 6, 2023, promulgating professional guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of dermatological diseases. This remains an important national professional reference when considering relevant international guidelines and emerging research. [11]

For healthcare organizations, comprehensive psoriasis care does not necessarily require establishing a separate multidisciplinary clinic for every patient.

A practical starting point is a reliable dermatological assessment that considers disease severity, symptoms, high-impact anatomical areas, quality of life, relevant comorbidities, musculoskeletal concerns, and previous treatment experience.

When indicated, patients may benefit from coordination with primary care, rheumatology, clinical nutrition, cardiovascular services, mental health professionals, or other relevant specialists.

Treatment continuity also deserves systematic attention. Patients may face barriers involving medicine affordability, transportation, appointment availability, or concerns about long-term treatment. Understanding these difficulties can help clinical teams develop more realistic follow-up arrangements.

Lifestyle-related support should be individualized rather than reduced to generic advice.

For one patient, the priority may be weight management alongside treatment for obesity and hypertension. Another may require smoking cessation support, while someone experiencing sleep disruption from severe itching may first need better control of the underlying skin disease.

People who are nutritionally vulnerable or have inflammatory joint symptoms may require particular attention before dietary restriction or exercise changes are recommended.

Healthcare professionals should also address misinformation about psoriasis. The disease is not contagious, and patients should not be encouraged to abandon effective treatment because of claims that restrictive diets, supplements, herbal preparations, or detoxification programs can permanently eliminate it.

For healthcare services, meaningful improvement can be evaluated through appropriate documentation of disease severity, recognition of associated conditions, access to indicated treatment, monitoring of treatment safety, and follow-up of patients whose disease is not adequately controlled.

These activities are more valuable than simply increasing the number of lifestyle counseling encounters.

The objective is to make comprehensive psoriasis care more clinically reliable, coordinated, and responsive to patient needs.

Professional and Legal Responsibilities in Viet Nam

Lifestyle Medicine can contribute to psoriasis-related professional education and appropriate supportive care. However, the distinction between general health education and regulated clinical practice must remain clear.

In Viet Nam, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15, as amended, establishes the legal framework governing medical examination and treatment. Consolidated Document No. 26/VBHN-VPQH, issued on February 26, 2026, provides an updated consolidated reference to the law. [12,13]

The Law on Disease Prevention No. 114/2025/QH15, effective July 1, 2026, also provides a relevant framework for disease prevention, health education, and the prevention and management of noncommunicable disease risks. However, these provisions do not independently expand an individual's authority to undertake regulated clinical activities. [14]

Diagnosing psoriasis, assessing individual patients for treatment decisions, prescribing systemic or biologic medicines, interpreting infection investigations, and managing complications must remain within the competence and legally authorized scope of appropriately qualified healthcare professionals and facilities.

International Lifestyle Medicine certification, educational participation, or professional membership does not independently confer authority to perform medical examination, diagnosis, or prescribing activities in Viet Nam.

International dermatology guidelines and consensus statements can inform professional learning and evidence review. They do not automatically establish that a particular medicine is registered, approved for a specific indication, reimbursed, available, or appropriate for an individual patient in Viet Nam.

The handling of patient information also requires attention.

Clinical photographs, medical histories, medication records, laboratory results, and information about associated conditions may contain identifiable or sensitive personal data.

The Law on Personal Data Protection No. 91/2025/QH15 and Government Decree No. 356/2025/NĐ-CP, both effective January 1, 2026, establish relevant requirements for personal data processing and protection. [15,16]

Healthcare organizations and professional educational activities using identifiable patient information must consider applicable lawful bases, confidentiality, appropriate permissions, security safeguards, and other relevant data protection obligations.

Educational discussion should use fictional or appropriately de-identified examples where feasible, without assuming that removal of a patient's name alone necessarily eliminates identification risks.

Professional educational platforms must therefore maintain a clear distinction between explaining scientific evidence and providing individualized diagnosis or treatment.

Implications for the Vietnam Lifestyle Medicine Alliance

Psoriasis provides a useful example of how Lifestyle Medicine can contribute to the management of complex chronic conditions without replacing established medical care.

The evidence supports considering weight management in appropriately selected patients, recognizing cardiometabolic risk, supporting healthier behaviors, and helping people participate in long-term care. At the same time, psoriasis remains an immune-mediated inflammatory disease that may require topical treatment, phototherapy, systemic medication, or targeted therapy.

The 2025 update to the international Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies, published in its final journal issue in 2026, places greater emphasis on social determinants of health while retaining evidence-based clinical processes, behavioral change, interprofessional collaboration, and appropriate outcome evaluation as essential professional capabilities. [17]

These principles are relevant to psoriasis care. Whether a patient can follow a treatment plan may depend on affordability, access to specialists, employment demands, family responsibilities, and the availability of appropriate support.

For the Vietnam Lifestyle Medicine Alliance (VLMA), a suitable contribution is to strengthen professional understanding of these issues through evidence-based education, critical appraisal of emerging research, and scientific knowledge exchange.

Psoriasis-related educational resources could address the relationship between excess body weight and disease severity, the distinction between nutritional and dermatological outcomes, recognition of cardiovascular risk, early identification of possible psoriatic arthritis, and the importance of maintaining appropriate treatment.

Collaboration with qualified professionals in dermatology, rheumatology, internal medicine, clinical nutrition, and other relevant disciplines would be valuable in developing such resources.

VLMA is a physician-led professional platform operated by Vietnam Lifestyle Medicine Alliance Company Limited. Its role is to support professional education, knowledge exchange, capability development, and responsible collaboration. It does not independently provide specialized dermatological diagnosis or treatment services.

The value of VLMA's contribution should be assessed through the quality, accuracy, and relevance of its educational work rather than claims of clinical outcomes that the organization has not directly demonstrated.

Effective Psoriasis Care Extends Beyond Clearer Skin

For people living with psoriasis, effective care may mean fewer flares, less itching and pain, improved sleep, and greater confidence in everyday life.

Clearer skin remains an important treatment goal, but it is not the only one.

Someone whose skin improves may still require cardiovascular risk assessment or evaluation of possible psoriatic arthritis. Another patient may benefit from appropriate weight management without experiencing an equally substantial improvement in psoriasis severity.

Recognizing these differences helps avoid unrealistic expectations about what lifestyle interventions can achieve.

Evidence available through October 2026 supports an integrated approach in which lifestyle-related interventions are selected according to individual needs, associated health risks are appropriately assessed, and necessary dermatological treatment remains central.

For healthcare professionals in Viet Nam, the opportunity lies in connecting effective psoriasis treatment with broader chronic disease prevention, early recognition of associated conditions, patient-centered outcome assessment, and reliable long-term follow-up.

The goal is not to replace psoriasis treatment with healthier habits. It is to combine appropriate medical care with evidence-based support for the person's broader health, functioning, and quality of life.

Selected References

1. Morrow S, Hawkins P, Griffiths CEM, et al. Impact of Weight-Loss Interventions on Psoriasis Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2026;40(6):980–993. Published online December 19, 2025. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.70247.

2. Huo R, Li W, Luo H, Su N, Wang T, Gou H, Zhou S. Lifestyle Interventions Targeting Adiposity in Adults With Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2026;13:1912400. Published August 6, 2026. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1912400.

3. Nast A, et al. S3 Guideline for the Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris, Adapted From EuroGuiDerm – Part 1: Treatment Recommendations and Monitoring. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. 2026;24(1):122–137. DOI: 10.1111/ddg.16002.

4. Nast A, et al. S3 Guideline for the Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris, Adapted From EuroGuiDerm – Part 2: Specific Clinical and Comorbid Situations. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. 2026;24(2):270–282. DOI: 10.1111/ddg.16001.

5. Baek YS, Choon SE, Foley PA, Tsai TF, Zhang J, Yamaguchi Y. Modified Delphi Consensus Recommendations for the Management of Psoriasis in Asia–Pacific. Dermatology and Therapy. 2026;16(9):4355–4374. Published online July 1, 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s13555-026-01834-7.

6. Sheth S, Inestroza K, Merola JF, Weber B, Garshick M. Practical Recommendations on Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation in Patients With Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis for Dermatologists, Rheumatologists, and Primary Care Physicians by the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network. Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis. 2025;10(4):124–130. DOI: 10.1177/24755303251337020.

7. Shi Y, Dai SM, Zhang Z, Gu J. Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Psoriasis Arthropathica (Psoriatic Arthritis), 2026 Edition. Chinese Medical Journal. 2026;139(15):2216–2219. DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000004139.

8. van Riel CAM, et al. International Consensus on Dose Reduction of Biologics for Patients With Psoriasis: The DR. Delphi Study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2026;40(9):1449–1459. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.70447.

9. Bui L, Nguyen TKH, Le HD, Nguyen HL. Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Psoriasis Vulgaris. Clinical Neuropsychiatry. 2026;23(3):232–242. DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20260302.

10. Vyvey E, Soenen R, Oon HH, et al. Building the Foundations for an International Patient-Centred Outcomes Set for Psoriasis: A Scoping Study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2026;40(6):1005–1018. Published online February 5, 2026. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.70313.

11. Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. Decision No. 4416/QĐ-BYT Issuing Professional Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Dermatological Diseases. December 6, 2023.

12. National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15. January 9, 2023, as amended.

13. Office of the National Assembly of Viet Nam. Consolidated Document No. 26/VBHN-VPQH: Law on Medical Examination and Treatment. February 26, 2026.

14. National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law on Disease Prevention No. 114/2025/QH15. December 10, 2025. Effective July 1, 2026.

15. National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law on Personal Data Protection No. 91/2025/QH15. June 26, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026.

16. Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 356/2025/NĐ-CP Detailing Selected Provisions and Implementation Measures of the Law on Personal Data Protection. December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026.

17. Rea BL, Cheema S, Lanza S, et al. Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies: 2025 Update. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2026;20(3):443–451. First published online October 28, 2025. DOI: 10.1177/15598276251379821.

Editorial and Professional Scope Note

This article presents an educational and professional perspective of the Vietnam Lifestyle Medicine Alliance (VLMA) on the contribution and limitations of evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine in psoriasis care. It reflects scientific and regulatory information reviewed through October 30, 2026.

The article is intended for professional education, information, and scientific knowledge exchange. It does not constitute a clinical practice guideline, individualized medical advice, a diagnostic or treatment protocol, a dietary prescription, a weight-management treatment plan, a medication recommendation, or an authoritative interpretation of Vietnamese law.

VLMA is a physician-led professional platform operated by Vietnam Lifestyle Medicine Alliance Company Limited. VLMA is not a licensed medical examination or treatment facility, dermatology treatment provider, medical licensing authority, or healthcare accreditation organization. It does not independently diagnose psoriasis, prescribe or modify medical treatment, conduct investigations for individualized treatment decisions, or manage complications of immunomodulatory therapy.

Clinical assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, infection screening, specialist referral, and follow-up must be undertaken by appropriately qualified and legally authorized healthcare professionals and facilities within their applicable scopes of practice and in accordance with Vietnamese requirements.

Lifestyle-related interventions should not delay or replace appropriate dermatological treatment, specialist assessment, necessary investigations, or emergency care. Improvement in psoriasis symptoms or visible lesions does not independently establish that prescribed treatment can be reduced or discontinued.

International clinical guidelines, expert consensus statements, and research publications are discussed for educational purposes. Their inclusion does not imply that they automatically have regulatory authority in Viet Nam or that VLMA has formally adopted, validated, delivered, endorsed, or certified any clinical program described in this article.

The patient situations used for illustration are hypothetical and do not represent actual VLMA clinical activities or identifiable patients.