Swedish researchers have found that subjects whose body mass index (BMI) was more than 27 at age 20 had a two-fold increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with normal weight subjects. The Nurse’s Health Study reported similar findings, indicating that a BMI of 30 or more at the age of 18 is associated with more than double the risk of MS compared to those not obese. However, this study found no significant association between adult BMI and MS risk. The obesity epidemic may explain the increasing incidence of MS, although the factors involved remain unknown.
PositiveTip: Maintaining a healthy adolescent weight yields many benefits–including reducing the risk of MS.