A new study has claimed that obese teenage girls are two times more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults than female teens who are not fat.
A new study has claimed that obese teenage girls are two times more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults than female teens who are not fat.
The study has been published in the November 10, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Obesity - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications, Treatment
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Participants reported their weight and height at age 18. Scientists then calculated their body mass index (BMI). The women were also asked to choose one of nine body silhouettes, ranging from very thin to extremely obese, to describe their body size at five, 10 and 20 years old.
The study found that women who had a BMI of 30 or larger at age 18 had more than twice the risk of developing MS compared to those with a BMI between 18.5 and 20.9. A woman with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kilograms per meter squared was considered overweight whereas a woman who was considered obese had a BMI of 30 or more kilograms per meter squared. The disease risk among women who were overweight but not obese at age 18 was only somewhat increased. The results were the same after accounting for smoking status and physical activity level.
High Cholesterol | Hypercholesterolemia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
High cholesterol level in blood are a risk for heart disease and stroke. They get deposited in the wall of the arteries and clog the circulation posing a threat to life.
High cholesterol level in blood are a risk for heart disease and stroke. They get deposited in the wall of the arteries and clog the circulation posing a threat to life.
"Our results suggest that weight during adolescence, rather than childhood or adulthood, is critical in determining the risk of MS," said study author Kassandra Munger, ScD, of Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
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Multiple sclerosis - Symptoms - Causes - Diagnosis - Treatment
Multiple sclerosis can be a severely disabling autoimmune disease that affects the myelin or insulating layer of the nerve fibers and typically has remissions and relapses
Multiple sclerosis can be a severely disabling autoimmune disease that affects the myelin or insulating layer of the nerve fibers and typically has remissions and relapses
Munger said there are two possible explanations why obesity may affect MS risk. Higher levels of vitamin D in the body are thought to reduce disease risk. People who are obese tend to have lower vitamin D levels compared to people who are not obese. In addition, fatty tissue produces substances that affect the immune system and certain types of cell activities that are thought to be associated with MS.
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Study Reveals A Simple Blood Test That May Help Predict Severity Of Multiple Sclerosis
University College London scientists have revealed that a simple blood test may soon help predict the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS).
University College London scientists have revealed that a simple blood test may soon help predict the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS).
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