Menu
The link between diet and MS is unclear, and available information is contradictory, confusing, and not always based on evidence. This research program will provide new knowledge on diet and MS progression, along with dietary education tailored for people with MS. People with MS will then be able to make informed decisions about their diet, including food choices and supplement use, to gain better health and wellness outcomes.Â
The impact of this research could be substantial, since making dietary changes is a modifiable lifestyle factor and something people with MS can easily implement in their daily lives.Â
Using data from the AusLong Study, Professor Lucinda Black and her team investigated whether there were links between relapses in MS and following a Mediterranean diet, eating ultra-processed foods, dairy products or fish. They also interviewed people with MS, carers who assist with meal preparation and MS nurses about their experiences and views on diet.
Professor Black and her team have found that positive language appears to improve people’s motivation to make health dietary changes and to engage with evidence-based nutrition resources. They also found that better diet quality is linked with reduced levels of one type of MS inflammation and that a pro-inflammatory diet (a diet that promotes inflammation in the body) was linked with higher chances of relapse. The team also found that a pro-inflammatory diet was linked with higher levels of depression and anxiety over time in people with MS.
Over the next year, Professor Black and her team will analyse data on the attitudes and behaviours regarding diet among people with MS, carers and health professionals. They will also test the links between diet and the progression of MS.
Updated 31 March 2024Â
$225,000
2022
3 years
Current project
