Identification of Inappropriate Diets in People with Multiple Sclerosis with Relapses in the Past Year: A Qualitative Study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common and debilitating diseases of neurology at a young age. Previous studies have suggested that nutrition as an environmental factor plays an important role in the development of the disease and its relapse. Therefore, the study aimed to identify inappropriate diet in MS patients with relapses in the past year.

This study was conducted in a qualitative paradigm with a phenomenological approach. In this study, participated 15 people with MS and 5 specialists from Rasht city in 2019 year. Participants were selected by purposeful sampling method with maximum diversity, and the interviews were done by non-structure interviews to theoretical saturation. Data were analyzed using Attride-Stirling thematic analysis approach.

From the interviews, three global themes (1- eating behaviors, 2- self-regulation in eating behaviors, and 3- malnutrition) were identified. Organizing themes for eating behaviors included (eating ready meals and inappropriate cooking), self-regulation in eating behaviors (temptation, purpose, and meal management) and malnutrition included (insufficiencies and excesses).

The results of this study suggest that the diet of people with MS with a history of relapsing, in the field of nutritional behaviors, self-regulation and malnutrition has some deficiencies that their perceptions and experts have an effective role in relapse of the disease. Accordingly, it seems that further research and development of educational interventions to improve the diet of these people is necessary.