Body size and the risk of multiple sclerosis in Norway and Italy: the EnvIMS study.

University of Bergen/The Norwegian MS Competence Centre, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway kristin.wesnes@gmail.com. University of Bergen/The Norwegian MS Competence Centre, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway. Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Ferrara, Italy. Clinic of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo/Akershus University Hospital, Norway. University of Tromsø/University Hospital of North Norway, Norway. Division of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Darmstadt, Germany. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo/Institute of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norway. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and occupational health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Research institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada. University of Bergen, Norway/ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Italy. The Norwegian MS Competence Centre, Haukeland University Hospital/The KG Jebsen Centre for MS-Research, University of Bergen, Norway.

Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England). 2015;(4):388-95
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Abstract

BACKGROUND Obesity may be a risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE We examined if body size influences the risk of MS in a population-based, case control study. METHODS A total of 953 cases and 1717 controls from Norway and 707 cases and 1333 controls from Italy reported their body size by choosing a silhouette 1 to 9 (largest) every fifth year from age 5 to 30 and at time of study. The body size-related MS risk was defined by odds ratios (ORs) in logistic regression analyses adjusting for age, smoking and outdoor activity. RESULTS In Norway a large body size (silhouettes 6-9) compared to silhouette 3 increased the risk of MS, especially at age 25 (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.09-4.46 for men and OR 1.43; 95% CI 0.90-2.27 for women). When comparing silhouette 9 to 1, we found a significant dose-response from age 10 until age 30 peaking at age 25 (sex-adjusted OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.68-4.78). The association was present for at least 15 years prior to disease onset. No significant associations were found in Italy. CONCLUSIONS Obesity from childhood until young adulthood is a likely risk factor for MS with a seemingly stronger effect in Norway than in Italy.

Methodological quality

Publication Type : Multicenter Study

Metadata

MeSH terms : Multiple Sclerosis ; Obesity