- MS Australia-supported researchers, along with people living with MS, developed an evidence-based online program to address confusion around diet for people with MS.
- Participants reported better diet habits, nutrition literacy, and an improvement in overall health after completing the program.
- The program’s self-paced modules, practical tools, and peer support were key to motivating positive dietary changes.
A Recipe for Health
Diet plays a significant role in managing MS symptoms and may slow its progression. However, many people with MS find it challenging to navigate conflicting online dietary advice.
To address this, MS Australia-supported researchers Dr Rebecca Russell and Professor Lucinda Black, along with their MS Nutrition Research team, explored ways to enhance nutrition literacy and healthy dietary habits for people with MS.
These efforts, in collaboration with people living with MS, led to the development of Eating Well with MS, a six-week digital nutrition education program designed specifically for the MS community.
The program includes text, interactive graphics, videos, and printed resources such as an activity book, recipes, and information brochures.
“Making dietary changes can give people with MS a sense of control over the disease, but there’s a lot of conflicting information online. This program was developed to fill the gap in accessible, evidence-based nutrition advice,” Dr Russell said, highlighting the program’s role in empowering participants through trusted guidance.
What Did the Researchers Do?
In one study published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, the feasibility of the co-designed digital nutrition education program Eating Well with MS was tested. This trial involved 70 adults with MS and assessed recruitment rates, program completion, and participants’ engagement with the program.
In another study published in Health Expectations, the researchers conducted telephone interviews with 16 people with MS who had participated in the trial of Eating Well with MS. The aim was to explore the factors that influenced their ability to make dietary changes, focusing on their knowledge, available opportunities, and motivation. The interviews were analysed, and the findings identified key factors affecting how participants engaged with the program.
What Did the Researchers Find?
In the first study, Eating Well with MS was found to be well-received. Eighty-four percent of participants completed at least one module, and 54% finished the entire six-week program. Participants rated the program highly, with improvements in their diet quality, nutrition literacy, and food-related behaviours observed after completing the program.
Dr Russell explained, “We enlisted 70 people with MS to evaluate the program’s effectiveness, and participants rated it 6 out of 7 for usefulness, reporting significant improvements in diet quality, meal planning, and the ability to critically assess nutrition claims.”
In the second study, researchers identified four key factors influencing engagement with the nutrition program: (1) seeking or confirming what healthy eating is; (2) juggling time commitments and the need for social support; (3) wanting to improve health; and (4) the differences in food and cooking skills across participants.
These findings emphasised the need for disease-specific, evidence-based nutrition education to support healthy dietary habits in people with MS. Dr Russell said “Our next step is a larger national trial, with the ultimate goal of making this program accessible to all Australians living with MS.”
What Does This Mean for People with MS?
These studies highlight the importance of providing clear, evidence-based, MS-specific dietary information. People with MS can benefit from online programs that offer practical support like recipe guides and goal-setting tools, encouraging them to make positive dietary changes. The findings also stress the value of flexible program delivery, and peer or family support, to enhance engagement and motivation for behaviour change.
“As people with MS continue to seek out ways to manage their condition through lifestyle changes, ‘Eating Well with MS’ offers a promising resource for improving their overall diet quality, which can impact their quality of life,” Dr Russell said.
If you would like to be contacted about being involved in the next study, please leave your contact details in this short survey.
