New York, Jan 24 (IANS): Love to get inked? Beware, tattoos can take a toll of your mental health, warned a new study.

Researchers from the University of Miami in the US showed that although having tattoos was not significantly related to overall health status, individuals with tattoos were more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue and report sleep problems.

People who had tattoos were also more likely to be smokers, spent time in jail, and had a higher number of sex partners, said the study published in the International Journal of Dermatology.

For the study, researchers included a sample of 2,008 adults.

"Previous research has established an association between having a tattoo and engaging in risky behaviours. In an era of increasing popularity of tattoos, even among women and working professionals, we find these relationships persist but are not associated with lower health status," said lead author Karoline Mortensen, Professor at the varsity.