Find out about research on lifestyle change and MS from Dr Jeanette Reece, Head of the Neuroepidemiology Unit (NEU) at the University of Melbourne in Australia
I lead a team of multidisciplinary researchers including biostatisticians, neurologists, psychologists, and dietitians to examine the role of lifestyle risk factors such as diet, exercise, and stress reducing activities in the development and progression of MS.
Ultimately, this research aims to generate high quality evidence to support the role of healthy lifestyle modification in reducing the risk of developing MS, and improving future health prospects in people living with MS.
In 2023, the NEU published several high impact publications in top MS-related journals to provide strong evidence for the beneficial effects of healthy lifestyle modification in people living with MS.
Some of these papers included:
A systematic review of published studies examining tobacco smoking and depression and anxiety in people living with MS found strong evidence for a link between smoking and depression and anxiety in current smokers, as well as links with depression in former smokers. This review contributes to a growing body of literature linking smoking with adverse health outcomes in people with MS, and suggests current-smokers should be monitored for depression and anxiety, and monitoring for depression in former-smokers.
The HOLISM study which found
Therefore, dietary modification may represent a point of intervention for reducing disability in people with MS, and engagement with multiple healthy lifestyle behaviours may provide additional health benefits over engaging with one healthy behaviour.
A major study underway in the NEU examines the impact of our novel MS online course (MSOC) on the health and wellbeing of people with MS. This course provides information based on the Overcoming MS Program over 7 web-based modules and its development was financially supported by the Overcoming MS charity. Data is being analysed from participants 6 months after taking the course to see if they have improved fatigue, depression, anxiety, disability or quality of life.
Other research in progress is examining the role of different types of healthy diet such as a Mediterranean diet or an anti-inflammatory diet on health outcomes (fatigue, depression, anxiety, disability, and quality of life) in people living with MS.