That's one takeaway from a new campaign being rolled out by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada that brands MS “Canada's disease” based on data that the country is home to the world's highest incidence of the incurable degenerative condition.
The prevalence of MS in Australia has increased from 103.7 per 100,000 people in 2017 to 131.1 per 100,000 people in 2021. This increase in prevalence is most likely due to changes in exposure to known MS risk factors.
Results showed the highest prevalence of MS was seen in white populations, where it was estimated that 374.8 of every 100,000 people was living with the disease. The second-highest prevalence was in Black populations, at 298.4 of every 100,000 people.
Research has demonstrated that MS occurs in most ethnic groups, including African Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanics/Latinx in the U.S., but is most common among white people of northern European descent.
Body Fat and Obesity
Mowry says that the rising incidence of MS among women may relate to body fat. Obesity is epidemic in the U.S., with over a third of American adults at a body mass index of 30 or higher. Women typically carry more fat on their bodies than men, and obesity rates are higher for women as well.
MS is very rare in Inuit populations (sometimes referred to as Eskimos) living in the far north. Asia continues to have a lower incidence of MS. More prevalent among those of northern European or Scandinavian ancestry, Caucasians have a higher incidence than those of African heritage to develop MS.
MS is not directly inherited from parent to child. There's no single gene that causes it. Over 200 genes might affect your chances of getting MS.
Race. White people, particularly those of Northern European descent, are at highest risk of developing MS . People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the lowest risk. A recent study suggests that the number of Black and Hispanic young adults with multiple sclerosis may be greater than previously thought.
MS can appear at any age but most commonly manifests between the ages of 20 and 40. It affects women two to three times as often as men. Almost one million people in the United States have MS, making it one of the most common causes of neurological disability among young adults in North America.
MS in Australia is offered by several well-established universities out of which 7 are ranked among the top 100 universities of the world, as per the QS World University Rankings 2023. Some of the Master of Science (MS) programs can be completed in a duration of 1 year.
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
A 2015 study found that high dose vitamin D could affect the immune system. The participants took 10,400 international units (IU) of vitamin every day for six month. This reduced the number of certain immune cells known to cause damage in MS.
Multiple sclerosis is more common in certain climates distant from the equator where there is less ultraviolet light (sunlight).
your genes – MS isn't directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it; the chance of a sibling or child of someone with MS also developing it is estimated to be around 2 to 3 in 100.
Here's where MS (typically) starts
You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache. It often occurs on one side and can eventually lead to partial or total vision loss. Spinal cord inflammation, or what's called partial transverse myelitis, is the second most common symptom Shoemaker typically sees.
Some people with MS feel that they developed MS as a direct result of some stressful event or trauma. The evidence on this connection is mixed. Some studies do see an effect whilst others don't.
Average life span of 25 to 35 years after the diagnosis of MS is made are often stated. Some of the most common causes of death in MS patients are secondary complications resulting from immobility, chronic urinary tract infections, compromised swallowing and breathing.
Many people diagnosed with MS do not have a family history of the condition. Whilst the rate of MS within families suggests that there is a genetic factor involved in developing the condition, studies of identical twins show that genes are not the whole story.
MS is not an inherited disease — it is not passed down from generation to generation.
A combination of tests is used to diagnose MS. The best test is an MRI of your brain and spinal cord to detect areas of damage. You might also need to have blood tests, a lumbar puncture and tests to measure nerve activity.
Selma Blair revealed that her multiple sclerosis is in remission after a difficult three-year battle with the incurable autoimmune disease.
We know early treatment improves long-term health and wellbeing by slowing down the build up of irreversible damage and reducing the number of relapses people experience. Starting MS treatment early is best but if you start later it can also have some benefits.