Higher Dietary Inflammatory Index scores are associated with brain MRI markers of brain aging: Results from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort.

Introduction: We investigated cross-sectional associations between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and measures of brain volume and cerebral small vessel disease among participants of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort.

Methods: A total of 1897 participants (mean ± standard deviation, age 62±9) completed Food Frequency Questionnaires and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results: Higher (pro-inflammatory) DII scores, averaged across a maximum of three time points, were associated with smaller total brain volume (beta ± standard error: -0.