Comparison of Food Intake in Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Healthy Individuals: A Hospital-Based Case-Controlled Study

OBJECTIVES: Nutritional factors affect the incidence, severity of symptoms and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the role of specific nutritional factors remains largely unknown in MS. We conducted this hospital-based case-controlled study to investigate the association between dietary intake and risk of MS. MATERIALS & METHODS: This study was conducted on 93 MS patients and 94 age-matched controls from Oct 2015 to Sep 2016 in Tehran, Iran. MS was diagnosed based on 2010 McDonald criteria and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of MS was calculated in different food groups using multiple logistic regression models adjusted for potentially confounding variables and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the age (34.62 ±9.68 vs. 33.96±8.75) and BMI (23.96 ±4.07 vs. 24.47 ±4.07) of MS and control group, respectively. Higher intake of processed meat (OR (95% CI))=(2.07(1.18-3.63) and non-processed meat (1.38(1.13-1.68)) were found in the MS group compared with the control. CONCLUSION: Higher intake of processed meat and non-processed meat was associated with increased risk of MS. Further studies on the probable role of these nutritional factors in the pathogenesis of MS are suggested.