Sausage preservation methods and the prevalence of multiple sclerosis: An ecological study

Sausage preservation methods (smoking vs. drying), as classified by Hippisley Coxe and Hippisley Coxe (1986), were compared with the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 26 countries. Meat, pork, and animal fat consumption, divided by food energy intake, were taken as covariates. In logistic regression smoke preservation, meat consumption and animal fat consumption showed a significant association with MS in univariate analysis. In multiple logistic regression, smoke preservation was associated with MS independently from meat and pork consumption, whereas animal fat contributed with borderline significance. The data suggest an association between sausage preservation by smoking and MS. A possible causal link should be studied further by individual-based epidemiological approaches.