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Such a dramatic headline for a just-published Johns Hopkins study, but hold on, don't hang up your diet plans just yet. There's a but, and a good-sized one, which is what I want to highlight here.
Neuro researcher and blogger Gavin Giovannoni, himself a vegetarian, explains these results after reviewing the paper in full (available for a fee). "Exposure to a weight loss plan diet was associated with lower disability (OR 0.88;m 95% CI 0.79-0.99), however the Wahls diet (adding more leafy green vegetables to your diet) and a gluten free diet was associated with greater disability (Wahls OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.25-1.78 and gluten free OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.52)." But, he cautions, "Of course, none of this is a causal association for disability in MS, in a nutshell the survey is simply a snapshot of dietary habits of the healthy and not so healthy." (Read his full take here: http://multiple-sclerosis-research.b...happiness.html)
Half of those doing Wahls in this survey had progressive MS, so predictably they are not as disability free as those with remitting MS. And self-reporting surveys, which this was, are always skewed. Even so, the authors found that "individuals reporting a composite healthy lifestyle had lower odds of reporting severe fatigue (0.69; 95% CI 0.59-0.81), depression (0.53; 95% CI 0.43-0.66), pain (0.56; 95% CI 0.48-0.67), or cognitive impairment (0.67; 95% CI 0.55-0.79)."
The takeaway? While these results suggest special diets don't appear to reverse disability, if you eat healthily, lose weight (if needed), exercise, and don't smoke, the odds improve that your results will mirror this study's conclusion "that suggests a healthy diet and a composite healthy lifestyle are associated with lesser disability and symptom burden in MS." If following Wahls, going GF, or pursuing another diet seems to work for you, keep it up. And for gosh sake, exercise!
- D
Neurology. 2017 Dec 6. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004768. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004768. [Epub ahead of print]
Diet quality is associated with disability and symptom severity in multiple sclerosis.
Fitzgerald KC1, Tyry T2, Salter A2, Cofield SS2, Cutter G2, Fox R2, Marrie RA2.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the association between diet quality and intake of specific foods with disability and symptom severity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
METHODS:
In 2015, participants in the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) Registry completed a dietary screener questionnaire that estimates intake of fruits, vegetables and legumes, whole grains, added sugars, and red/processed meats. We constructed an overall diet quality score for each individual based on these food groups; higher scores denoted a healthier diet. We assessed the association between diet quality and disability status as measured using Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) and symptom severity using proportional odds models, adjusting for age, sex, income, body mass index, smoking status, and disease duration. We assessed whether a composite healthy lifestyle measure, a healthier diet, healthy weight (body mass index <25), routine physical activity, and abstinence from smoking was associated with symptom severity.
RESULTS:
Of the 7,639 (68%) responders, 6,989 reported physician-diagnosed MS and provided dietary information. Participants with diet quality scores in the highest quintile had lower levels of disability (PDDS; proportional odds ratio [OR] for Q5 vs Q1 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.93) and lower depression scores (proportional OR for Q5 vs Q1 0.82; 95% CI 0.70-0.97). Individuals reporting a composite healthy lifestyle had lower odds of reporting severe fatigue (0.69; 95% CI 0.59-0.81), depression (0.53; 95% CI 0.43-0.66), pain (0.56; 95% CI 0.48-0.67), or cognitive impairment (0.67; 95% CI 0.55-0.79).
CONCLUSIONS:
Our large cross-sectional survey suggests a healthy diet and a composite healthy lifestyle are associated with lesser disability and symptom burden in MS.
Neuro researcher and blogger Gavin Giovannoni, himself a vegetarian, explains these results after reviewing the paper in full (available for a fee). "Exposure to a weight loss plan diet was associated with lower disability (OR 0.88;m 95% CI 0.79-0.99), however the Wahls diet (adding more leafy green vegetables to your diet) and a gluten free diet was associated with greater disability (Wahls OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.25-1.78 and gluten free OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.52)." But, he cautions, "Of course, none of this is a causal association for disability in MS, in a nutshell the survey is simply a snapshot of dietary habits of the healthy and not so healthy." (Read his full take here: http://multiple-sclerosis-research.b...happiness.html)
Half of those doing Wahls in this survey had progressive MS, so predictably they are not as disability free as those with remitting MS. And self-reporting surveys, which this was, are always skewed. Even so, the authors found that "individuals reporting a composite healthy lifestyle had lower odds of reporting severe fatigue (0.69; 95% CI 0.59-0.81), depression (0.53; 95% CI 0.43-0.66), pain (0.56; 95% CI 0.48-0.67), or cognitive impairment (0.67; 95% CI 0.55-0.79)."
The takeaway? While these results suggest special diets don't appear to reverse disability, if you eat healthily, lose weight (if needed), exercise, and don't smoke, the odds improve that your results will mirror this study's conclusion "that suggests a healthy diet and a composite healthy lifestyle are associated with lesser disability and symptom burden in MS." If following Wahls, going GF, or pursuing another diet seems to work for you, keep it up. And for gosh sake, exercise!
- D
Neurology. 2017 Dec 6. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004768. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004768. [Epub ahead of print]
Diet quality is associated with disability and symptom severity in multiple sclerosis.
Fitzgerald KC1, Tyry T2, Salter A2, Cofield SS2, Cutter G2, Fox R2, Marrie RA2.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the association between diet quality and intake of specific foods with disability and symptom severity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
METHODS:
In 2015, participants in the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) Registry completed a dietary screener questionnaire that estimates intake of fruits, vegetables and legumes, whole grains, added sugars, and red/processed meats. We constructed an overall diet quality score for each individual based on these food groups; higher scores denoted a healthier diet. We assessed the association between diet quality and disability status as measured using Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) and symptom severity using proportional odds models, adjusting for age, sex, income, body mass index, smoking status, and disease duration. We assessed whether a composite healthy lifestyle measure, a healthier diet, healthy weight (body mass index <25), routine physical activity, and abstinence from smoking was associated with symptom severity.
RESULTS:
Of the 7,639 (68%) responders, 6,989 reported physician-diagnosed MS and provided dietary information. Participants with diet quality scores in the highest quintile had lower levels of disability (PDDS; proportional odds ratio [OR] for Q5 vs Q1 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.93) and lower depression scores (proportional OR for Q5 vs Q1 0.82; 95% CI 0.70-0.97). Individuals reporting a composite healthy lifestyle had lower odds of reporting severe fatigue (0.69; 95% CI 0.59-0.81), depression (0.53; 95% CI 0.43-0.66), pain (0.56; 95% CI 0.48-0.67), or cognitive impairment (0.67; 95% CI 0.55-0.79).
CONCLUSIONS:
Our large cross-sectional survey suggests a healthy diet and a composite healthy lifestyle are associated with lesser disability and symptom burden in MS.
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