Background: A healthy diet has been associated with less symptoms or progression of disease in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, whether specific diets are needed, or general healthy diet recommendations are sufficient is unknown.
Objective: To investigate the association between diet quality, use of diets, and quality of life (QoL) in men and women with MS.
Methods: Diet quality was measured with the Dutch Healthy Diet-index, which measures adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet. QoL was assessed with the MSQoL-54 questionnaire. A total of 728 people were included (623 women, 105 men). Multiple linear regression, stratified for gender, was used to analyse the data.
Results: In women with MS, an association was found between diet quality and both physical and mental QoL after adjusting for several confounders (Physical Health Composite Score (β=0.410; P=0.001); Mental Health Composite Score (β=0.462; P=0.002)). Similar results were less pronounced in men. Subjects following a specific diet had higher diet quality and QoL than subjects not following a diet.
Conclusion: Adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines is associated with better physical and mental QoL, especially in women. Following an MS-specific diet may help to adhere to these guidelines.
Keywords: MS-specific diet; Multiple sclerosis; diet; dietary guidelines; lifestyle; mental health; nutrition; quality of life.