title: Co-occurring Risk Factors in Multiple Sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined individual and co-occurring risk factors as correlates of health outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine participants with MS completed measures of nutrition, physical activity levels, comorbidity and neuroperformance. The data were analyzed using t-test analyses in SPSS Statistics 22.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total number of comorbidities (z = 2.36, p = .02), cardiovascular disease symptoms (z = 2.63, p = .01), Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW) speed (z = 2.53, p = .01), and 6 Minute Walk (6MW) distance (z = 2.61, p = .01) had significant differences in the cluster of co-occurring poor nutrition and insufficient levels of physical activity. There was a significant difference between those reporting two vs. one risk factor for number of comorbidities (z = 2.41, p = .02), cardiovascular disease symptoms (z = 2.40 p = .02), T25FW speed (z = 2.39, p = .02), and 6MW distance (z = 2.68, p = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that: (1) the cluster of co-occurring poor diet and insufficient physical activity is associated with comorbidities and neuroperformance markers; and (2) that cluster is further synergistically associated with comorbidities and neuroperformance markers.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student.
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Balto
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student.
authors.forename: Ipek
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ensari
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health.
authors.forename: Naiman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Illinois State University, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Normal, IL.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Professor and Associate Director of Research, University of Alabama, Department of Physical Therapy, Birmingham, AL;, Email: robmotl@uab.edu.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Motl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires