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Obese teens have greater risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis
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Teen obesity is a very serious problem in the United States. With all the fast food at a child's disposal reaching for the greasy burger & fries tends to be easier then opting for the healthy salad. We now know due to this trend that there might be repercussions for these female children later in life.
A study of 238,000 women found that those who were obese at age 18 had twice the risk of developing multiple sclerosis compared to women who were at normal weight as teenagers, according to research published in the journal Neurology.
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health used data from nurses taking part in a large study on diet, lifestyle factors and health. Body size was reported by the women using a series of diagrams at the age of 5, 10, and 20. Obesity was defined as having a BMI of 30 or greater. Over the course of the 40-year study 593 women were diagnosed with MS.
Adolescence was found to be the most critical period for determining the link between obesity and MS. Body size during childhood and adulthood was not found to be associated with risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is a condition caused by the loss of nerve fibers and their protective myelin sheath in the brain and spinal cord, which causes neurological damage. It is most common among women, with a typical age of onset between 15 and 50.
There is also a link between diet and both MS and obesity. Diets high in saturated fats are likely to make MS symptoms worse. The same diet is linked to weight gain.
Also, previous research has found that people with low levels of vitamin D, such as those living the furthest from the equator, have an increased risk of developing MS. Obesity is also associated with low vitamin D levels in the body.
Adolescence is the time when a child goes through the most radical development. Puberty brings with it a surge of hormones & bodily changes. Now diet & obesity sets the stage for an adolescent as they approach adulthood. It gives new meaning to the phrase "we are what we eat." It is also creating future health risks that can be avoided if a child learns proper nutrition from a young age.
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