Kjetil Bjørnevik, Trond Riise, Ilaria Casetta, Jelena Drulovic, Enrico Granieri, Trygve Holmøy, Margitta T Kampman, Anne-Marie Landtblom, Klaus Lauer, Andreas Lossius, Sandra Magalhaes, Kjell-Morten Myhr, Tatjana Pekmezovic, Kristin Wesnes, Christina Wolfson, Maura Pugliatti
Journal: Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) 2018;20(8):1042-9
PMID: 24414538
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this paper is to estimate the association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and measures of sun exposure in specific age periods in Norway and Italy.
METHODS
A total of 1660 MS patients and 3050 controls from Italy and Norway who participated in a multinational case-control study (EnvIMS) reported sun habits during childhood and adolescence.
RESULTS
A significant association between infrequent summer outdoor activity and increased MS risk was found in Norway and in Italy. The association was strongest between the ages of 16 and 18 years in Norway (odds ratio (OR) 1.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-2.59), and between birth and age 5 years in Italy (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.16-2.10). In Italy a significant association was also found during winter (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03-1.97). Frequent sunscreen use between birth and the age of 6 years was associated with MS in Norway (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08-1.93) after adjusting for outdoor activity during the same period. Red hair (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.06-2.63) and blonde hair (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.09-1.70) were associated with MS after adjusting for outdoor activity and sunscreen use.
CONCLUSION
Converging evidence from different measures underlines the beneficial effect of sun exposure on MS risk.
© The Author(s) 2014.
Medical:
Other Literature Sources:
Full Text Sources:
© Copyright 2026, Nutrition Evidence
We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic with Google Analytics. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more.