Childhood body mass index and multiple sclerosis risk: a long-term cohort study

Kassandra L Munger; Joan Bentzen; Bjarne Laursen; Egon Stenager; Nils Iørgen Koch-Henriksen; Thorkild I. A. Sørensen; Jennifer Lyn Baker

doi:10.1177/1352458513483889

Childhood body mass index and multiple sclerosis risk: a long-term cohort study

Kassandra L Munger, Joan Bentzen, Bjarne Laursen, Egon Stenager, Nils Iørgen Koch-Henriksen, Thorkild I. A. Sørensen, Jennifer Lyn Baker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

213 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity in late adolescence has been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, it is not known if body size in childhood is associated with MS risk.

METHODS: Using a prospective design we examined whether body mass index (BMI) at ages 7-13 years was associated with MS risk among 302,043 individuals in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR). Linking the CSHRR with the Danish MS registry yielded 774 MS cases (501 girls, 273 boys). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: Among girls, at each age 7-13 years, a one-unit increase in BMI z-score was associated with an increased risk of MS (HR(age 7)=1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30; HR(age 13)=1.18, 95% CI: 1.08-1.28). Girls who were ≥95(th) percentile for BMI had a 1.61-1.95-fold increased risk of MS as compared to girls <85(th) percentile. The associations were attenuated in boys. The pooled HR for a one-unit increase in BMI z-score at age 7 years was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26) and at age 13 years was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07-1.24).

CONCLUSION: Having a high BMI in early life is a risk factor for MS, but the mechanisms underlying the association remain to be elucidated.

Original language	English
Journal	Multiple Sclerosis
Volume	19
Issue number	10
Pages (from-to)	1323-1329
Number of pages	7
ISSN	1352-4585
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458513483889
Publication status	Published - Sept 2013

Keywords

Adolescent
Body Mass Index
Child
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Multiple Sclerosis
Obesity
Risk Factors

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10.1177/1352458513483889

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@article{94af0c4d407e45c79fbfaaad5fc2cd3b,

title = "Childhood body mass index and multiple sclerosis risk: a long-term cohort study",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Obesity in late adolescence has been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, it is not known if body size in childhood is associated with MS risk.METHODS: Using a prospective design we examined whether body mass index (BMI) at ages 7-13 years was associated with MS risk among 302,043 individuals in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR). Linking the CSHRR with the Danish MS registry yielded 774 MS cases (501 girls, 273 boys). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: Among girls, at each age 7-13 years, a one-unit increase in BMI z-score was associated with an increased risk of MS (HR(age 7)=1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30; HR(age 13)=1.18, 95% CI: 1.08-1.28). Girls who were ≥95(th) percentile for BMI had a 1.61-1.95-fold increased risk of MS as compared to girls <85(th) percentile. The associations were attenuated in boys. The pooled HR for a one-unit increase in BMI z-score at age 7 years was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26) and at age 13 years was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07-1.24).CONCLUSION: Having a high BMI in early life is a risk factor for MS, but the mechanisms underlying the association remain to be elucidated.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Body Mass Index, Child, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Multiple Sclerosis, Obesity, Risk Factors",

author = "Munger, {Kassandra L} and Joan Bentzen and Bjarne Laursen and Egon Stenager and Koch-Henriksen, {Nils I{\o}rgen} and S{\o}rensen, {Thorkild I. A.} and Baker, {Jennifer Lyn}",

year = "2013",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1177/1352458513483889",

language = "English",

volume = "19",

pages = "1323--1329",

journal = "Multiple Sclerosis",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Childhood body mass index and multiple sclerosis risk

T2 - a long-term cohort study

AU - Munger, Kassandra L

AU - Bentzen, Joan

AU - Laursen, Bjarne

AU - Stenager, Egon

AU - Koch-Henriksen, Nils Iørgen

AU - Sørensen, Thorkild I. A.

AU - Baker, Jennifer Lyn

PY - 2013/9

Y1 - 2013/9

N2 - BACKGROUND: Obesity in late adolescence has been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, it is not known if body size in childhood is associated with MS risk.METHODS: Using a prospective design we examined whether body mass index (BMI) at ages 7-13 years was associated with MS risk among 302,043 individuals in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR). Linking the CSHRR with the Danish MS registry yielded 774 MS cases (501 girls, 273 boys). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: Among girls, at each age 7-13 years, a one-unit increase in BMI z-score was associated with an increased risk of MS (HR(age 7)=1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30; HR(age 13)=1.18, 95% CI: 1.08-1.28). Girls who were ≥95(th) percentile for BMI had a 1.61-1.95-fold increased risk of MS as compared to girls <85(th) percentile. The associations were attenuated in boys. The pooled HR for a one-unit increase in BMI z-score at age 7 years was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26) and at age 13 years was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07-1.24).CONCLUSION: Having a high BMI in early life is a risk factor for MS, but the mechanisms underlying the association remain to be elucidated.

AB - BACKGROUND: Obesity in late adolescence has been associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, it is not known if body size in childhood is associated with MS risk.METHODS: Using a prospective design we examined whether body mass index (BMI) at ages 7-13 years was associated with MS risk among 302,043 individuals in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR). Linking the CSHRR with the Danish MS registry yielded 774 MS cases (501 girls, 273 boys). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: Among girls, at each age 7-13 years, a one-unit increase in BMI z-score was associated with an increased risk of MS (HR(age 7)=1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30; HR(age 13)=1.18, 95% CI: 1.08-1.28). Girls who were ≥95(th) percentile for BMI had a 1.61-1.95-fold increased risk of MS as compared to girls <85(th) percentile. The associations were attenuated in boys. The pooled HR for a one-unit increase in BMI z-score at age 7 years was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26) and at age 13 years was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07-1.24).CONCLUSION: Having a high BMI in early life is a risk factor for MS, but the mechanisms underlying the association remain to be elucidated.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Body Mass Index

KW - Child

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Multiple Sclerosis

KW - Obesity

KW - Risk Factors

U2 - 10.1177/1352458513483889

DO - 10.1177/1352458513483889

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23549432

SN - 1352-4585

VL - 19

SP - 1323

EP - 1329

JO - Multiple Sclerosis

JF - Multiple Sclerosis

IS - 10

ER -

Childhood body mass index and multiple sclerosis risk: a long-term cohort study

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