Getting plenty of sun, eating fresh fruits regularly and drinking coffee daily are associated with a lower risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) among adults in Saudi Arabia, researchers have reported. Eating a lot of fast-food actually raises that same risk.

Their study, Environmental exposures and the risk of multiple sclerosis in Saudi Arabia was recently published in the journal BMC Neurology. Previous studies show mixed results concerning the prevalence of MS across the Gulf region. It is estimated to be high in Saudi Arabia, but the risk factors associated with the disease there remain unclear.

Researchers conducted a case-control study involving 307 MS patients and 307 matched healthy adults in three Saudi Arabian cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam).

Results showed that, in Saudi Arabia, eating fast-food five times or more each week and having had the measles were two factors independently associated with an increased risk of MS.

In contrast, sun exposure during early childhood is considered protective against MS. In the study, participants who spent more time in the sun throughout childhood and early adulthood were less likely to develop MS.

According to Multiple sclerosis News Today, eating five or more servings of fruit each week and drinking coffee daily were also associated with a lower risk of MS. Factors like body mass index, age of menstruation, and breastfeeding were not associated with MS risk, nor were consuming red meat or drinking milk.

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