Dietary intake and characteristics in persons with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on dietary intake and characteristics in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).
• Understanding the nutritional landscape of PwMS is crucial for developing effective dietary interventions.
• This study addresses the gap by comparing dietary parameters between PwMS and controls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively describe and compare nutrition assessment parameters in PwMS versus controls.
• Key parameters include daily food and nutrient intake, eating behaviors, and dietary characteristics.
• The study aims to identify differences in diet between individuals with and without multiple sclerosis.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design involving 60 PwMS and 60 matched controls.
• Participants completed a 3-day food intake record and validated questionnaires.
• Dietary intake analysis was performed with and without supplements using ESHA Food Processor SQL; mixed-model ANOVAs were used for comparisons.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in average daily intake were observed for vitamin D, B12, C, omega-3 fatty acids, and phosphorus.
• PwMS taking supplements showed higher intake of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, B12, C, magnesium, manganese, and zinc compared to controls.
• No significant differences were found in eating behaviors or other dietary characteristics between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Dietary intake patterns are largely similar between persons with and without multiple sclerosis.
• Observed differences in nutrient intake are predominantly explained by supplement consumption in PwMS.
• Further investigation into the dietary intake of PwMS is recommended to fully understand their nutritional status.