E2 ModeratePreliminaryPEM not requiredCross-SectionalPeer-reviewedReviewed
Standard · 3 min
Characteristics and determinants of dietary intake and physical activity in a group of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.
Aguilar-Aguilar, Elena, Marcos-Pasero, Helena, de la Iglesia, Rocío et al. · Endocrinologia, diabetes y nutricion · 2018 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study looked at the eating habits and exercise levels of 52 people with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition where people react badly to everyday chemicals. The researchers found that most patients weren't eating enough fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, were taking many supplements, and very few were exercising regularly. The study suggests that better nutritional guidance tailored to each person's needs could help improve their health and quality of life.
Why It Matters
Many ME/CFS patients experience concurrent MCS and similar comorbidities, making understanding their nutritional challenges highly relevant. This study highlights how restricted diets and low activity levels in MCS may mirror problems in ME/CFS populations, suggesting that personalized nutritional approaches could benefit both groups.
Observed Findings
70.1% of MCS patients also had chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis; 84.3% of patients consumed insufficient dairy products, 82.3% insufficient fruit, and 64.7% insufficient cereals
52.1% of patients regularly used supplements, with an average of 6.4±5.2 supplements per person (16% took more than 10 daily)
Only 12.5% of MCS patients met criteria for being physically active
Most common comorbidities included irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and depression/anxiety disorders
57.7% of patients followed exclusion diets
Inferred Conclusions
MCS patients commonly follow restrictive diets that may lead to nutritional inadequacies and monotonous, unbalanced eating patterns
Personalized nutritional education and diet customization tailored to individual tolerance could improve diet quality and quality of life in MCS
The high prevalence of comorbidities (particularly CFS and fibromyalgia) suggests these conditions share overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms or dietary triggers
Increasing individualized physical activity adapted to patient capability is needed but may require careful gradation given symptom burden
Remaining Questions
Does the restrictive diet pattern cause or result from MCS symptoms, or is causality bidirectional?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study cannot establish causation between dietary patterns and disease severity, or whether restrictive diets are necessary or harmful. The cross-sectional design cannot determine whether poor nutrition results from MCS symptoms or contributes to them. The study also does not compare MCS patients to healthy controls, so it cannot assess whether observed patterns are unique to MCS.
Tags
Symptom:PainFatigueSensory Sensitivity
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionNo ControlsSmall SampleExploratory OnlyMixed Cohort
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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