An exploratory study of diet in childhood and young adulthood and adult-onset multiple sclerosis

Lucinda J Black; Sarah Hetherton; Michaela Forkan; Edlin G Gonzales; Jessica B Smith; Alison Daly; Robyn M Lucas; Annette Langer-Gould

doi:10.1177/1352458520986964

An exploratory study of diet in childhood and young adulthood and adult-onset multiple sclerosis

Mult Scler. 2021 Sep;27(10):1611-1614. doi: 10.1177/1352458520986964. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Authors

Lucinda J Black¹, Sarah Hetherton², Michaela Forkan², Edlin G Gonzales³, Jessica B Smith³, Alison Daly¹, Robyn M Lucas⁴, Annette Langer-Gould⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
² Department of Natural Sciences, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland.
³ Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA, USA.
⁴ National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia/Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA, USA/Neurology Department, Los Angeles Medical Center, Southern California Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Abstract

There is little evidence on the role of diet in childhood/adolescence and multiple sclerosis (MS) in adulthood. The MS Sunshine Study recruited adults with recent-onset MS (n = 602) and matched controls (n = 653). Of these, 84% provided dietary recall for specific ages between childhood and young adulthood (6-10, 11-15 and 16-20 years). We used logistic regression to test associations between age-specific diet and case-control status. Consumption of fruit (all ages), yoghurt (all ages) and legumes (11-15 years) was associated with lower probability of adult-onset MS (all p < 0.05). These results suggest that healthy dietary habits between childhood and young adulthood may reduce MS risk.

Keywords: Diet; MS Sunshine Study; multiple sclerosis; nutrition.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Child
Diet
Diet Surveys
Feeding Behavior
Fruit
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis* / epidemiology
Young Adult

Grants and funding

R01 NS075308/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States