Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Is Associated with Multiple Sclerosis Severity

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Dietetics
• Public Health

Background:

• A healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, may improve clinical parameters and quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
• The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern associated with various health benefits.
• Investigating the impact of MedDiet adherence on MS severity is crucial for understanding potential therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) in an Italian patient cohort.
• To determine if higher MedDiet adherence correlates with milder MS symptoms or slower disease progression.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 106 Italian patients with MS (pwMS) was assessed.
• Dietary habits were collected using a 110-item Food Frequency Questionnaire.
• Adherence to the MedDiet was evaluated using the Medi-Lite score, and MS severity was graded using Herbert's scale (MSSS).

Main Results:

• Patients were categorized into three groups based on MedDiet adherence: low, medium, and high.
• Higher adherence to the MedDiet was significantly associated with a 6.18-fold increased probability of having mild-to-moderate MS (95% CI: 1.44, 26.59).
• No single component of the MedDiet, when analyzed individually, showed a significant association with MS severity.

Conclusions:

• Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet may be linked to a milder clinical presentation of multiple sclerosis in the studied Italian population.
• Further research is required to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which MedDiet components might influence MS onset and progression.
• Future studies should aim to replicate these findings and investigate the long-term effects of dietary interventions in MS management.