Obesity and MS

[Eyesnlegs]

Opinions on this one would be interesting, I am overweight now and have struggled with my weight all my life but was not overweight as a teenager. I have been told many times over the years that my sx might be because I needed to lose weight and now this?

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/11/10/2009-11-10_teenage_obesity_in_women_may_lead_to_multiple_sclerosis_later_in_life_study.html

If the link does not work here is the article:


Teenage obesity in women may lead to multiple sclerosis later in life: study

BY Issie Lapowsky
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, November 10th 2009, 10:38 AM
Obesity during teen years was shown to be an indicator of multiple sclerosis in middle age, a study found. Obesity during teen years was shown to be an indicator of multiple sclerosis in middle age, a study found.

Researchers have found that teenage obesity may make women more likely to develop multiple sclerosis later in life.

The study comes from the Harvard School of Public Health and tracks 40 years in the lives of 238,000 women. It found that the women who were obese at 18 years old were twice as likely to develop MS. The findings were published in the medical journal Neurology.

Out of the women studied, 593 developed the condition, which breaks down nerve fibers, causing neurological deterioration.

Oddly enough, neither obesity in childhood nor obesity in adulthood showed any correlation with the condition, according to the report.

“Our results suggest that weight during adolescence, rather than childhood or adulthood, is critical in determining the risk of MS,” study author Kassandra Munger, ScD, told BBC News. “There’s a lot of research supporting the idea that adolescence may be an important time for development of disease, so what we have found is consistent with that.”

According to BBC News, researchers believe that the connection between teen obesity and MS may have something to do with vitamin D levels. Some research has indicated that high levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of developing MS. Fatty tissue, however, often reduces a person’s vitamin D levels.

“Teaching and practicing obesity prevention from the start - but especially during teenage years - may be an important step in reducing the risk of MS later in life for women,” Munger told the BBC.

Susan Kohlhaas, research communications officer for the MS Society, however, told the BBC that the results are not wholly conclusive.

“This study does not account for several other factors that may play a role in causing MS. Based on that, more work is needed,” she told the BBC. “As such, it is difficult to determine whether teenage obesity could be a possible factor in causing MS in women.”

[Eyesnlegs]

Only just picked this up as I flew off on hols just after I posted it.

Thanks so much for all your replies. I was also annoyed with this article as I thought it might give medics more 'excuses' and reasons to blame us. Your replies support the fact that this is VERY speculative especially as so many of you were skinny as teenagers.

Just so that you know, I have always struggled with my weight and at 5 foot 6 I am probably about 50lbs over but my sister is only 5 foot tall and very skinny, she also has MS, maybe they should have had used us in the study?nespecially as we had the same childhood, etc.

Again, some great points from all of you thanks

Pat

[biowham]

This is just a correlation and does not give us any information about causation. The proposed causation they discuss is purely speculative. I haven't looked at the paper, so I don't know what they've corrected for, but one thing I'd guess is that obese teens are far less likely to be outside, running around in the sun. It may be that the effects of fat on vitamin D and the effects of the indoor lifestyle on vitamin D may contribute. So, it may not be the obesity, per se, but the lifestyle that contributed to it. Likely, it's a suite of factors, rather than obesity itself.

I was slender as a teen, have never been obese, am not overweight.

Bio

[cainer]

no weight problem- cant even eat at times- wouldnt ms mess with some overeating and some not even getting hungry??  it meses with everything else!!     tick

[LATW]

Never skinny.  Never at my ideal weight.  My old MS doctor asked about my weight each time I saw him.

I am not terribly overweight.  I wear a 14.  But pack more pounds than can really be seen.  I always saw my bones and organs are heavy! :-)

My aunt who had MS was as skinny as can be.  At least they are trying to figure out what the cause of MS is.  

I suppose there will always be goofy assumptions until they find the real answer.


LA

[michelleric]

That is interesting. I have never been skinny in my life!  Except at birth, I was about 4 lbs, my mother smoked about 3 packs a day at that point.
Michelle

[Mand125]

I was a skinny child and teen - not so now though!

Mand