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Supporting Family Health

Understand the risk of developing MS and explore how lifestyle habits can help reduce the risk and support overall health. Close relatives of people with MS or those living with MS may find this information useful.

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Key points

  • Genetics and lifestyle habits can affect a person’s risk of developing MS.
  • Changing lifestyle habits may help reduce the risk of developing MS. 
  • Changing habits can also support overall health and wellbeing.  
  • Changing habits as a family can be easier than doing it alone. 
  • While everyone makes their own choices about their lifestyle, sharing healthy habits and creating a supportive environment can help encourage positive changes for the whole family. 

This page explains:

  • The risk of MS being passed on from a family member.
  • How lifestyle habits can affect the risk of developing MS. 
  • What Overcoming MS recommends. 
  • How to get started in a way that feels right for you. 

The risk of developing MS

The risk of developing MS is influenced by genetics (whether someone in your family has MS), environmental and lifestyle factors.

  • The general global population has around a 1 in 1,000 chance of developing MS. However, this number varies a lot, depending on where you live and where you grew up. 
  • Children, siblings and other close relatives of people with MS may have a higher risk of developing the condition. This risk of the condition being passed through family is called a ‘hereditary risk’. For example, if you are the child of someone with MS, your chance of developing MS is around 5 in 1,000. About five times higher than the general population. This risk is still small.

To find out more about the causes of MS and the risk of MS in certain groups, visit the Overcoming MS webpage What causes MS – Is Ms hereditary. 

Read on to find out more about how lifestyle factors can affect the risk of developing MS.

Lifestyle habits and MS

Research suggests that the following lifestyle habits may help to reduce the risk of developing MS. They may also reduce the risk of other conditions such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They can benefit everyone in the family, not just those with an increased risk of developing MS:

  • Avoiding smoking. Several large-scale studies have confirmed a clear link between cigarette smoking and an increased risk of developing MS. More research is needed on the links between e-cigarettes (vaping) and MS. To find out more, visit the Overcoming MS webpage Smoking and MS.
  • Taking vitamin D supplements when access to sunlight is limited. Research shows that low vitamin D levels (below 50 nmol/L) may increase the risk of developing MS. The body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D. People who live further from the equator may be at greater risk of low vitamin D levels. This is because they generally have less exposure to sunlight. Higher vitamin D levels in the womb, and during childhood and adolescence, has been linked to a lower risk of developing MS later in life. You can read more about vitamin D on the Overcoming MS webpage Vitamin D and MS.
  • Eating a balanced, nutritious diet.  There is emerging evidence that diet may play a role in the risk of developing MS.

What it means for people living with MS: Together, this evidence suggests that changing lifestyle habits can benefit overall health and may reduce the risk of developing MS. 

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What the experts say

Family health matters because MS does not happen in isolation. The people around us can have a huge influence on our wellbeing, habits and resilience. Having supportive people around us can make healthy changes feel easier and less overwhelming. Simple things like sharing meals, spending time in nature and having honest conversations can make a real difference. The Overcoming MS community is here to support, encourage and connect us with others who truly understand the journey of living well with MS.

 

Hayley Baker, Overcoming MS Program Facilitator 

 

What people living with MS say

As someone living with MS, I regularly talk to my close relatives about the importance of things like diet, exercise and good quality sleep. I can relate it to symptoms they may be having, such as anxiety or pain and sleep problems. I find this makes them more engaged and willing to make positive changes. This in turn helps me stick to my healthy lifestyle goals.

 

Bijal Gohil

 

What Overcoming MS recommends

Overcoming MS recommends the following lifestyle habits for close family members of people living with MS. You may already be practising some of them but if not, that’s okay. Choose one to start with and the others can follow over time.

  • Avoid smoking and breathing in second-hand smoke from others. If you or someone in your household smokes, stopping can benefit everyone in the family.
  • Take vitamin D supplements in winter, and in summer, if sun exposure is limited. The recommended doses below are based on the current best available evidence. They are higher than what is recommended for the general population:
    • Close adult relatives of people with MS: 4,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 a day.
    • During pregnancy: In the UK, the NHS recommends all people who are pregnant and breast-feeding take 400 IU vitamin D3 each day (10 micrograms). Research shows that vitamin D3 supplementation of up to 4,000 IU per day during pregnancy is safe.
    • Children at a higher risk of MS: 400 IU each day for infants under 12 months of age. 1,000 IU each day for children and adolescents aged 1 to 18 years.
  • Eat well by including lots of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils in your diet. Also include sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, such as flaxseed or oily fish.
  • Try stress management. There are different ways you can manage stress. You may want to try mindfulness meditation, breathwork, writing, practising gratitude or spending time outdoors.
  • Keep active and make regular physical activity part of your everyday life in ways that work for you. This might include activities such as walking, gardening, swimming, yoga or strength training. Choose activities you enjoy and that feel realistic for your life. 

For more information on how to get started, see the Tools and Resources section below.

Things to consider

  • Remember that the overall risk of a person developing MS is still low. Most close family members will not go on to develop MS.
  • Focus on what you can control. You can’t change your family history, but there are things you can do to support your health and wellbeing.
  • Avoid putting pressure on yourself or your family. Lifestyle changes are about supporting good health, not guaranteeing that someone will or won’t develop MS.
  • While everyone makes their own choices about their lifestyle, sharing healthy habits and creating a supportive environment can help encourage positive changes for the whole family.
  • If you have young children, explain MS in an age-appropriate way. Involve them in healthy habits such as eating well and staying active. The UK based charity MS Society provide information on how to talk to children about MS.
  • Making lifestyle habit changes as a family or with friends can be easier than doing it alone. For example, going for a walk with friends or cooking and eating as a family can help create supportive routines.
  • If you’re worried about your own risk, or the risk to your relatives, talk to a GP or MS healthcare professional. It may help you understand what your family history means for you.
  • If you have MS, you may have feelings of guilt and worry about the risk to your close family members. These feelings are understandable, but you are not to blame. If these feelings are affecting your mental health, visit the Overcoming MS Mental Health Hub for support information.
  • Changing lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of MS can take time and feel overwhelming. Choose one habit to focus on first then move on to another. Small, consistent changes can make a real difference.

Tools and Resources

You may find these Overcoming MS webpages and resources helpful: 

 

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FAQs

Is the risk of developing MS higher if someone in the family has it already?

Children, siblings and other close relatives of people with MS may have a higher hereditary risk of developing the condition. However, the risk is still small. Other things such as where you were born, where you live, infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), environmental exposures and lifestyle habits can also affect the risk of developing MS. 

 

Does changing my lifestyle mean I won’t get MS?

Changing lifestyle habits does not guarantee that you will not develop MS. However, it can support good health and overall wellbeing.

What can I do if I feel overwhelmed by the idea of changing certain habits?

Choose one habit to focus on first then move on to another when you feel ready. You might get into the routine of taking a vitamin D supplement each day and then focus on trying to eat more fruit and vegetables. Small, consistent changes can make a real difference. 

How can I support my family members to reduce the risk?

It may feel frustrating if family members make choices that you don’t feel are in their best interest. However, by modelling healthy behaviours and creating a supportive environment, you can help to encourage change. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself or family members.

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References

Explore the references used to create this page:

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    12. Fotros D, Noormohammadi M, Razeghi Jahromi S, Abdolkarimi M. Fruits and vegetables intake may be associated with a reduced odds of multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutr Neurosci. 2024 Aug;27(8):887-898.
    13. Rad EY, Saboori S, Tektonidis TG, Simpson-Yap S, Reece J, Hebert JR, Nicholas R, Middleton R, Tammam J, Black L, Coe S. A systematic review and meta-analysis of Dietary Inflammatory Index and the likelihood of multiple sclerosis/ demyelinating autoimmune disease. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2024 Aug;62:108-114.
    14. Palacios C, Trak‐Fellermeier MA, Martinez RX, Lopez‐Perez L, Lips P, Salisi JA, John JC, Peña‐Rosas JP. (2019). Regimens of vitamin D supplementation for women during pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019(10): CD013446.
    15. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (2025). Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D. Available at: https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/multiple-sclerosis/multiple-sclerosis-and-vitamin-d/ (Accessed 23rd September 2026)
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Last review: November 2026      Next review: November 2029 

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