Study highlights the pervasiveness of inflammation in the American diet

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans eat a pro-inflammatory diet, increasing the risk of health problems including heart disease and cancer, according to a new study that used a tool designed to examine inflammation in the diet.

The study also found that certain populations — including Black Americans, men and people with lower incomes — were at greater risk from eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods.

“Overall, 57% of American adults follow an anti-inflammatory diet, and that number was higher for Black Americans, men, younger adults, and those with lower education and income,” said lead author Rachel Meadows, visiting faculty at Ohio State University’s College. of Public Health.

The research team used the Dietary Inflammatory Index, an instrument developed a decade ago that includes 45 dietary components, to examine the diets of more than 34,500 adults who participated in the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Based on self-reported diets, they used the tool to assign inflammatory values ​​ranging from -9 to 8, with 0 representing a neutral diet. About 34% of those in the study followed an anti-inflammatory diet, and the remaining 9% had neutral dietary inflammation levels. The study was published recently in the news Public Health Nutrition.

Older nutritional measurements look at the intake of certain food groups (such as fruit, vegetables and dairy) or macronutrients (such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats) that are in line with national nutritional recommendations or certain diets such as keto or paleo.

“But inflammation is an important element to consider and the overall balance of the diet is most important,” Meadows said.

“Even if you eat enough fruits or vegetables, if you eat too much alcohol or red meat, your overall diet can still be pro-inflammatory.”

Meadows said she is less interested in labeling foods as “bad” and more interested in thinking about anti-inflammatory foods as tools people can use to improve health.

“There is potential here to think about positive interventions, such as adding more garlic, ginger, turmeric and green and black tea – all of which are anti-inflammatory – to your diet,” she said.

“Moving to a diet with less inflammation could have a positive impact on a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even depression and other mental health conditions.”

Other examples of anti-inflammatory foods are mostly unprocessed foods, such as whole grains, green leafy vegetables (like spinach), legumes (like beans and lentils), oily fish (like salmon) and berries.

Challenges to eating a less inflammatory diet include poor access to fruits, vegetables and other foods that can contribute to better health – and even when those foods are available, they can sometimes be more expensive, creating a barrier for people low-income, Meadows said. .

Many people also have increased chronic inflammation due to non-dietary factors, including stress and adverse childhood experiences, she said.

“There are many factors that contribute to chronic inflammation, and they all work together — even sleep is a key component. Diet can be used as a tool to combat that,” Meadows said.