A population-based dietary inflammatory index predicts levels of C-reactive protein in the Seasonal Variation of Blood Cholesterol Study (SEASONS)

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 17; no. 8; pp. 1825 - 1833
• Main Authors: Shivappa, Nitin, Steck, Susan E, Hurley, Thomas G, Hussey, James R, Ma, Yunsheng, Ockene, Ira S, Tabung, Fred, Hébert, James R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; blood serum; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cholesterol; clinical trials; Cytokines; Diet; Diet - adverse effects; diet recall; Diet Records; Diseases of the digestive system; Environment. Living conditions; Exercise; Feeding Behavior; Female; foods; Humans; Hypertension; Inflammation; Inflammation - blood; Inflammation - etiology; Lipids; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Massachusetts; Medical sciences; Mental Recall; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nutrition and health; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition research; Nutritional Status; Observational studies; Odds Ratio; Proteins; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; questionnaires; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Regression Analysis; Research Papers; seasonal variation; Seasonal variations; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States > US; Massachusetts; Inflammation; Adults; C-reactive protein; Diet; Predictive ability; Lipids; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Index; Lipoprotein; Blood; Seasonal variation; Adult; Population; Dyslipemia; C reactive protein; Season; Public health; Food; Human; Ability; Prediction; Metabolic diseases; Cholesterol; Feeding; Acute phase protein; Hypercholesterolemia; Diet therapy; Predictive factor
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980013002565

To perform construct validation of the population-based Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) using dietary data from two different dietary assessments and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as the construct validator. Using data derived from (i) three 24 h dietary recalls (24HR) at baseline and at the end of each subsequent quarter (i.e. up to fifteen over a year) and (ii) a 7 d dietary recall (7DDR) measured at baseline and then quarterly, regression analyses were conducted to test the effect of the DII score on serum hs-CRP as dichotomous (≤3 mg/l, >3 mg/l), while controlling for important potential confounders. Existing data from the Seasonal Variation of Blood Cholesterol Study (SEASONS), a longitudinal observational study of healthy participants recruited in Worcester, MA, USA and participants were followed for 1 year. Participants who had at least one hs-CRP measurement over her/his 1-year participation (n 495 for 24HR, n 559 for 7DDR). Higher DII scores were associated with values of hs-CRP >3 mg/l (OR = 1·08; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·16, P = 0·035 for the 24HR; and OR = 1·10; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·19, P = 0·015 for the 7DDR). The population-based DII was associated with interval changes in hs-CRP using both the 24HR and 7DDR. The success of this first-of-a-kind attempt at relating individuals' intakes of inflammation-modulating foods using this refined DII, and the finding that there is virtually no drop-off in predictive capability using a structured questionnaire in comparison to the 24HR standard, sets the stage for use of the DII in a wide variety of other epidemiological and clinical studies.