title: Wellness and multiple sclerosis: The National MS Society establishes a Wellness Research Working Group and research priorities.
abstract: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have identified "wellness" and associated behaviors as a high priority based on "social media listening" undertaken by the National MS Society (i.e. the Society).
  
  
  
  The Society recently convened a group that consisted of researchers with experience in MS and wellness-related research, Society staff members, and an individual with MS for developing recommendations regarding a wellness research agenda.
  
  
  
  The members of the group engaged in focal reviews and discussions involving the state of science within three approaches for promoting wellness in MS, namely diet, exercise, and emotional wellness.
  
  
  
  That process informed a group-mediated activity for developing and prioritizing research goals for wellness in MS. This served as a background for articulating the mission and objectives of the Society's Wellness Research Working Group.
  
  
  
  The primary mission of the Wellness Research Working Group is the provision of scientific evidence supporting the application of lifestyle, behavioral, and psychosocial approaches for promoting optimal health of mind, body, and spirit (i.e. wellness) in people with MS as well as managing the disease and its consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Motl
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mowry
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ehde
authors.affiliation: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: LaRocca
authors.affiliation: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kathy E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shinto
authors.affiliation: Exercise Science Program, Physical Therapy Department, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Mellen Center for MS, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Amy B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giesser
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: McCully
authors.affiliation: College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fernhall
authors.affiliation: Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Malachy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.affiliation: Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plow
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Advanced Research Science Center, City University at New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casaccia
authors.affiliation: Kessler Foundation, East Hanover, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Chiaravalloti
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012955:Societies, Medical
keywords: Wellness; depression; diet; exercise