Obesity, dieting, and multiple sclerosis

R D Russell; A Langer-Gould; E G Gonzales; J B Smith; V Brennan; G Pereira; R M Lucas; A Begley; L J Black

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2019.101889

Obesity, dieting, and multiple sclerosis

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2020 Apr:39:101889. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101889. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Authors

R D Russell¹, A Langer-Gould², E G Gonzales³, J B Smith³, V Brennan¹, G Pereira¹, R M Lucas⁴, A Begley¹, L J Black⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
² Neurology Department, Los Angeles Medical Center, Southern California Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, United States.
³ Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, United States.
⁴ National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
⁵ School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: lucinda.black@curtin.edu.au.

PMID: 31838309
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101889

Abstract

Background: Obesity is common in the United States and is associated with a higher risk of relapse and comorbidities, and increased disease progression, in people with MS.

Methods: We examined the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the MS Sunshine Study, a matched case-control study of multiple sclerosis in Southern California (470 cases, 519 controls). We reported the proportion of participants who adopted a specific diet for nutrition or weight loss purposes, and identified independent predictors of dieting.

Results: In the total population, 32% and 37% were overweight and obese, respectively. Case participants were no more likely to adopt a specific diet for nutrition or weight loss purposes than control participants (10% and 11%, respectively). Being obese, younger, female or non-Hispanic were independently associated with dieting.

Conclusion: Despite the evidence that obesity can worsen MS prognosis, and the high prevalence of overweight/obesity, case participants were no more likely to adopt a specific diet than control participants. Improved nutrition education may help people with MS make healthy dietary changes for nutrition or weight loss purposes.

Keywords: Dietary behavior; Dietary changes; MS Sunshine Study; Multiple sclerosis; Nutrition.