Journal article
Longitudinal Stability of Dietary Intake Patterns in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, Vol.115(November 2026), 107677
09/04/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2026.107677
PMID: 42697107
Abstract
Background
Diet may influence MS activity, but most studies use a single dietary measure. The stability of diet over time in pediatric-onset MS (POMS) is unclear.
Objectives
To evaluate the reproducibility and short-term temporal stability of dietary intake in youth with POMS using repeated food frequency questionnaires (FFQ).
Methods
This longitudinal study included participants with a baseline FFQ (the Block Kids Food Screener, 2014). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated using random-intercept mixed-effects models to quantify the relative contributions of between-person and within-person variability. Temporal trends in intake were assessed by modeling time since baseline as a fixed effect, using log-transformed dietary variables to estimate percent change over time.
Results
Of 419 FFQs from 195 participants, 140 (71.8%) completed ≥2 FFQs over a median of 6.5 months (range 2.8–18). ICCs ranged from 0.41 to 0.78 across dietary measures, with the highest reproducibility observed for vegetables and fiber (ICCs 0.78 and 0.72). Log-transformed models showed small declines in several nutrients over time, corresponding to <10% change over a six-month period.
Conclusions
Dietary intake demonstrated moderate to good reproducibility over the 6 to 18 month follow-up period. Vegetable and fiber intake had the strongest reliability. These findings suggest that reported dietary intake assessed by a single or infrequent FFQ may remain reasonably stable over a 6- to 18-month period in longitudinal POMS studies. However, the moderate-to-good reproducibility observed indicates that within-person variability persists and may attenuate diet-disease associations when only a single dietary assessment is available.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Longitudinal Stability of Dietary Intake Patterns in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
- Creators
- Akash VirupakshaiahVinicius A. SchoepsGina ChangMichael Waltz - University of UtahJonathan Race - University of UtahSoe Mar - Washington University in St. LouisCarla FranciscoT. Charles Casper - University of UtahJohn Rose - University of UtahMoses Rodriguez - Mayo ClinicJan-Mendelt Tillema - Mayo ClinicTanuja Chitnis - Brigham and Women's HospitalMark P. Gorman - Boston Children's HospitalLeslie A. Benson - Boston Children's HospitalJennifer S. Graves - University of California San DiegoMary Rensel - Cleveland ClinicAaron Abrams - Cleveland ClinicLauren B. Krupp - NYU Langone HealthKimberly A. O’Neill - NYU Langone HealthTimothy E. Lotze - Texas Children's HospitalGregory Aaen - Loma Linda University Children's HospitalYolanda Wheeler - University of Alabama at BirminghamTeri Schreiner - Children's Hospital ColoradoAmy T. Waldman - Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaJanet ChongTyler J. Titcomb - University of Kansas Medical CenterHelen Tremlett - University of British ColumbiaEmmanuelle Waubant
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, Vol.115(November 2026), 107677
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.msard.2026.107677
- PMID
- 42697107
- NLM abbreviation
- Mult Scler Relat Disord
- ISSN
- 2211-0348
- eISSN
- 2211-0356
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Grant note
- NIH NMSS National MS Society: 2022-25, 2023, 2025 Hoffman LaRoche Novartis Roche NIH (NINDS): U54NS115052 Ionis Pharmaceuticals Pfizer NMSS career transition award: TA-2205-39,486 Canada Research Chair Program National Multiple Sclerosis Society Canadian Institutes of Health Research, MS Canada Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation EDMUS Foundation Consortium of MS Centres: 2023 Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation DoD
This research was supported by an NMSS award RG-1701-26,635 (PI EW). Infrastructural funding support for the project was provided by the NMSS (Grant # SI-210-38,420, PI TCC). TJT was supported by an NMSS career transition award (TA-2205-39,486). AV is supported by a National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) Sylvia Lawry Fellowship Award (Grant#FP-2307-41,848, 2024-2026) and Young Investigator Award from Race to Erase MS.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/04/2026
- Academic Unit
- Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9985221334202771
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