The Association between Body Mass Index and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

(1) Purpose: Conflicting information exists regarding the relationship between obesity, leisure-time physical activity (PA), and disability in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). We aimed to investigate the association between leisure-time PA and weight status in a relatively large cohort of PwMS. Furthermore, we examined this relationship according to the level of neurological disability. (2) Methods: The study included 238 PwMS (138 women) with a mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 2.5 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.7), mean disease duration of 6.4 (SD = 8.2) years, and mean age of 40.5 (SD = 12.9) years. Obesity was defined using two different metrics, each based on body mass index (BMI). Leisure-time PA was determined by the Godin–Shephard leisure-time PA questionnaire. Statistical analyses included multivariate logistic regression, the chi-square test, and Pearson coefficient correlations. (3) Results: The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) between leisure-time PA and BMI based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition was 1.070 (p = 0.844) for overweight and 1.648 (p = 0.254) for obesity. The adjusted OR was 1.126 (p = 0.763) for overweight and 1.093 (p = 0.847) for obesity after adjustment for age, gender, and disability status. Chi-square analysis revealed no significant correlation between leisure-time PA and obesity (p = 0.564) according to the BMI threshold for PwMS. The unadjusted OR (95% confidence interval [CI]) between disability level and BMI based on the WHO definition was 1.674 (p = 0.220) for overweight and 0.618 (p = 0.460) for obesity. The adjusted OR was 1.130 (p = 0.787) for overweight and 0.447 (p = 0.234) for obesity after adjustment for age, gender, and leisure-time PA. Similarly, chi-square analysis revealed no significant correlation between disability level and obesity (p = 0.701) per the BMI threshold for PwMS. (4) Conclusions: No association was found between leisure-time PA and BMI in PwMS. An additional finding was the absence of any association between obesity and neurological disability level in the multiple sclerosis cohort.

Bodyweight Measures and Lifestyle Habits in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis and Moderate to Severe Disability

“…Our findings showed no difference in physical engagement among participants with different EDSS scores. This finding supports previous data from our center that showed no relation between physical activity and obesity, as measured by BMI in 238 individuals with MS with a mean ± SD EDSS score of 2.5 ± 1.7 [30].…”

Evaluation of Thoracic Kyphosis Angle and Respiratory Functions in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

“…The female-to-male ratio of MS patients who participated in our study was calculated to be 2.3/1, consistent with the incidence rate of female-to-male MS, which is 2.5/1 worldwide (11). In a survey conducted with 238 MS patients comparing body mass index and physical activity and examining the impact of this relationship on neurological disability, no relationship was found between physical activity level and BMI or between obesity and neurological disability (12). In our study, although no statistically significant difference was found in the measurements of BMI, neck and shoulder circumference, and fathom length between MS patients and healthy subjects, the mean chest circumference was statistically significantly higher in MS patients than in healthy subjects.…”

Specific dietary interventions to tackle obesity should be a routine part of recommended MS care – No

“…Regardless of the method, no associations were found between obesity and level of disability in the cohort. 1 These findings are in agreement with a previous 24-month study that BMI was not predictive of disability in a sample of 269 people with relapsing-remitting MS. 2 Similarly, Lambert et al. 3 reported an absence of any association between disability and weight status in a group of people with mild-moderate MS.…”