Obesity during childhood and adolescence increases susceptibility to multiple sclerosis after accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the association between obesity and multiple sclerosis (MS) while accounting for established genetic and environmental risk factors.

Methods

Participants included members of Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan, Northern California Region (KPNC) (1235 MS cases and 697 controls). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Body mass index (BMI) or body size was the primary predictor of each model. Both incident and prevalent MS cases were studied.

Results

In analyses stratified by gender, being overweight at ages 10 and 20 were associated with MS in females (p<0.01). Estimates trended in the same direction for males, but were not significant. BMI in 20s demonstrated a linear relation

SUBMITTER: Gianfrancesco MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4180039 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature