Modified Ketogenic Diet and Exercise Program on Weight Reduction in Obese Patient with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in young adults that may lead to progressive disability. Since pharmacological treatments may have substantial side effects, there is a need for complementary treatment options such as specific dietary approaches

Aim: To investigate the effect of adding modified ketogenic diet (KD) to exercise program on body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) in obese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Patients and methods: This study was a single-blind (assessor), Parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups, 20 patients in each group. The experimental group (20 patients) was treated with a modified ketogenic diet and aerobic exercise while the control group (20 patients) was treated with aerobic exercise. The frequency of the intervention was received as 3 sessions a week for 12 weeks for both groups.

Results: Both groups showed significant within-group reductions in weight and BMI (p=0.001). However, the study group demonstrated significantly greater improvements: mean weight loss of 9.8 kg (95% CI: 8.24–11.36) versus 3.25 kg in controls, and BMI reduction of 3.58 kg/m² versus 1.16 kg/m² (p=0.001 between groups). Large effect sizes (partial η² = 0.39–0.50) supported clinical significance.

Conclusion: Adding a modified ketogenic diet to aerobic exercise results in significantly greater reductions in body weight and BMI compared to exercise alone, offering a promising integrative approach for managing obesity in MS patients.