Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Mar 20:9:161.
doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00161. eCollection 2018.

Reported Changes in Dietary Behavior Following a First Clinical Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Demyelination

Rebecca D Russell  1 , Robyn M Lucas  2   3 , Vanessa Brennan  1 , Jill L Sherriff  1 , Andrea Begley  1 ; Ausimmune Investigator Group; Lucinda J Black  1
Collaborators, Affiliations

Reported Changes in Dietary Behavior Following a First Clinical Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Demyelination

Rebecca D Russell et al. Front Neurol. .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Although the current evidence is insufficient to recommend a special diet for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), dietary advice for people with MS is prolific online and in the media. This study aimed to describe dietary changes made in the year following a first clinical diagnosis of central nervous system demyelination (FCD), a common precursor to MS.

Subjects/methods: We used follow-up data from the Ausimmune Study, a multicentre matched case-control study examining the environmental risk factors for a FCD. A total of 244 cases (60 male, 184 female) completed a 1-year follow-up interview, which included a question about dietary changes. We described the number and proportion (%) of participants who reported making dietary changes and the type of change made. We investigated independent predictors of making a dietary change using a multivariable logistic regression model.

Results: A total of 38% (n = 92) of participants at the 1-year follow-up reported making at least one dietary change over the last year. There were no statistically significant independent associations between any participant characteristic and odds of making a dietary change. Of those who made at least one dietary change, the most common changes were increasing fruit and/or vegetable intake (27%, n = 25) and following a low-fat diet (25%, n = 23).

Conclusion: A considerable proportion of the study population reported making at least one dietary change in the year following a FCD, with the majority of changes being toward a healthier diet. Further research is warranted to investigate the reasons behind any dietary changes adopted by people with a FCD or with MS, and whether making a dietary change has benefits for the progression of demyelinating diseases, e.g., to a diagnosis of MS, as well as for general health and well-being.

Keywords: ausimmune study; diet; dietary behavior; multiple sclerosis; nutrition.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Amato MP, Derfuss T, Hemmer B, Liblau R, Montalban X, Sørensen PS, et al. Environmental modifiable risk factors for multiple sclerosis: report from the 2016 ECTRIMS focused workshop. Mult Scler (2017):1–14.10.1177/1352458516686847 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mandia D, Ferraro O, Nosari G, Montomoli C, Zardini E, Bergamaschi R. Environmental factors and multiple sclerosis severity: a descriptive study. Int J Environ Res sPublic Health (2014) 11(6):6417.10.3390/ijerph110606417 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Reich DS, Lucchinetti CF, Calabresi PA. Multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med (2018) 378(2):169–80.10.1056/NEJMra1401483 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. O’Gorman C, Lucas R, Taylor B. Environmental risk factors for multiple sclerosis: a review with a focus on molecular mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci (2012) 13(9):11718–52.10.3390/ijms130911718 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Swank RL, Goodwin J. Review of MS patient survival on a Swank low saturated fat diet. Nutrition (2003) 19(2):161–2.10.1016/S0899-9007(02)00851-1 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources