Young patients with obesity face ‘50% increased risk’ of later MS
Evidence suggests a link between the global obesity epidemic and a dramatic rise in multiple sclerosis prevalence, researchers say
Obesity during the teens and early 20s is linked to a 50% increased relative risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, a population-based study shows.
Norwegian researchers say their finding emphasises the importance of weight control at an early age, especially in the context of the global obesity crisis.
The team used height and weight data taken from a mandatory tuberculosis screening program in Norway between 1963 and 1975, to come up with BMI figures for almost 650,000 study participants aged 14-34.
This information was then linked with data from the national MS registry and biobank which provided information on the date of MS symptom onset and diagnosis until November last year.
