Acne diet breakthrough earns a PhD

Dr Robyn Smith was the joint winner of last year’s RMIT Media Star of the Year Award for her ground-breaking PhD research.

Dr Robyn Smith will graduate with a PhD from RMIT University this month for her pioneering nutritional science research, which helped formulate a ground-breaking anti-acne diet.

Dr Smith was part of a team that conducted the first randomised controlled trial on diet and acne in more than 40 years, and found that a protein-based, low-GI diet could have a dramatic effect on acne symptoms.

“Diet has long been thought to be the cause of acne, with chocolate most often named as a culprit, but I was surprised how little scientific research had been done in this area,” she said.

“My research found that a low-GI diet significantly reduced acne lesion counts when compared with the conventional high-carb, high-GI Western diet.

“A diet designed to fight acne should contain minimally refined carbohydrate-based foods and include a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, lean meats, fish and seafood.”

Dr Smith worked with RMIT’s Associate Professor Neil Mann and staff from the Department of Dermatology at Royal Melbourne Hospital on the trial, which involved 43 teenage boys following two different diets over 12 weeks.

One group followed the typical Western teen diet of refined and highly processed carbohydrate foods while the other group ate a more natural diet higher in protein and low-GI foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and legumes.

“Those on the low-GI diet reduced facial acne by 50 per cent, and showed improvements in their self-esteem and overall wellbeing,” Dr Smith said.

Findings of the study were presented at the 15th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology in Greece and published in the prestigious Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The research was also compiled in a booklet, “The Teenage Anti-Acne Diet”, which was distributed to more than 15,000 GPs, dietitians and dermatologists nationally.

Dr Smith and Professor Mann were awarded the 2007 RMIT prize for “Media Stars of the Year” following the widespread coverage of their research in media outlets across Australia and the world.

The relationship between acne and diet remained controversial, Dr Smith said, but the future held promise of a shift in paradigm.

“My research showed that the improvement in acne resulting from a change in diet was associated with changes in metabolic and hormonal parameters,” she said.

“However, to adequately confirm the link between diet and acne, larger-scale experiments are needed.”

Dr Smith said completing her PhD had opened the door to a remarkable and extremely rewarding career in the area of nutritional biochemistry.

“Not only has it provided me with a wealth of knowledge, but it’s given me the skills to pursue a career in research,” she said.

“It’s given me the opportunity to present and publish my findings both here and overseas and it’s enabled me to forge connections with others in the research field.

“It wasn’t all smooth sailing and I had my fair share of obstacles, but I’ve come to understand that this is all part the process and a PhD is more than just the big book that you produce at the end.

“If I was to offer a word of advice to future doctoral candidates, I would say that self-motivation is fundamental to finishing a PhD – even when the end isn’t in sight, it’s your own motivation that will get you there.

“And I think this is reason why I’ll enjoy my graduation, because I got there, I made it, I finished it in the end.”

RMIT’s colourful Graduation Parade and spectacular Graduation Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 17 December.

The parade along Swanston Street will be followed by a ceremony at Telstra Dome, where more than 5,000 graduates will celebrate their achievements.

Find out more about RMIT’s Graduation events.

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