Association of dietary inflammatory potential with risk of overall and cause-specific mortality

Inflammation is a central mechanism in metabolic disorders associated with morbidity and mortality and dietary factors can modulate inflammation. We aimed to prospectively investigate the association between an empirically developed, food-based dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) score and the risk of overall and cause-specific mortality, using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2014. EDIP score was derived by entering thirty-nine predefined commonly consumed food groups into the reduced rank regression models followed by stepwise linear regression, which was most predictive of two plasma inflammation biomarkers including C-reactive protein and leucocyte count among 25 500 US adults. This score was further validated in a testing set of 9466 adults. Deaths from baseline until 31 December 2015 were identified through record linkage to the National Death Index. During a median follow-up of 7 center dot 8 years among 40 074 participants, we documented 4904 deaths. Compared with participants in the lowest quintile of EDIP score, those in the highest quintile had a higher risk of overall death (hazard ratio (HR) = 1 center dot 19, 95 % CI 1 center dot 08, 1 center dot 32, P (trend) = 0 center dot 002), and deaths from cancer (HR = 1 center dot 41, 95 % CI 1 center dot 14, 1 center dot 74, P-trend = 0 center dot 017) and CVD (HR = 1 center dot 22, 95 % CI 0 center dot 98, 1 center dot 53, P-trend = 0 center dot 211). When stratified by age, the association of EDIP with overall mortality was stronger among individuals under 65 years of age (P-interaction = 0 center dot 001). Diets with a higher inflammatory potential were associated with increased risk of overall and cancer-specific mortality. Interventions to reduce the adverse effect of pro-inflammatory diets may potentially promote health and longevity.

Automated summary

The study showed that dietary factors can modulate inflammation, and diets with higher inflammatory potential were associated with increased risk of overall and cancer-specific mortality. Strategies to reduce pro-inflammatory diets may promote health and longevity.