Community Gardening Increases Vegetable Intake and Seasonal Eating From Baseline to Harvest: Results from a Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Gardening has been associated with greater fruit and vegetable intake, but few randomized trials have been conducted.

Objectives: We sought: ) to determine changes in fruits and vegetable intake combined and separately from baseline (spring) to harvest time (fall), as well as from baseline to winter follow-up, and ) to identify the mediators (both quantitatively and qualitatively) between gardening and vegetable intake.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial of community gardening was conducted in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Effects of a community gardening intervention on diet, physical activity, and anthropometry outcomes in the USA (CAPS): an observer-blind, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and social disconnection are important modifiable risk factors for non-communicable and other chronic diseases, which might be alleviated through nature-based community interventions. We tested whether a community gardening intervention could reduce these common health risks in an adult population that is diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Methods: In this observer-blind, randomised, controlled trial, we recruited individuals who were on Denver Urban Garden waiting lists for community gardens in Denver and Aurora (CO, USA), aged 18 years or older, and had not gardened in the past 2 years.

Changes in dietary inflammatory potential predict changes in sleep quality metrics, but not sleep duration.

Study Objectives: Non-pharmacological sleep interventions may improve sleep profiles without the side-effects observed with many pharmacological sleep aids. The objective of this research was to examine the association between sleep and inflammation and to examine how changes in dietary inflammatory potential influence changes in sleep.

Methods: The Inflammation Management Intervention Study (IMAGINE), which was a dietary intervention designed to lower inflammation, provided access to 24-h dietary recalls (24HR), objectively measured sleep using SensewearTM armbands, and a range of self-reported demographics, health histories, lifestyle behaviors, psychosocial metrics, anthropometric measurements, and inflammatory biomarkers.

The impact of a randomized dietary and physical activity intervention on chronic inflammation among obese African-American women.

Lifestyle interventions may reduce inflammation and lower breast cancer (BrCa) risk. This randomized trial assessed the impact of the Sistas Inspiring Sistas Through Activity and Support (SISTAS) study on plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). This unblinded, dietary and physical activity trial was implemented in 337 obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m) African American (AA) women recruited between 2011 and 2015 in South Carolina through a community-based participatory approach with measurements at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months.

Adiposity does not modify the effect of the dietary inflammatory potential on type 2 diabetes incidence among a prospective cohort of men.

Purpose: Inflammatory contributions from diet and adiposity may interact with respect to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated the degree to which adiposity modified the association between dietary inflammatory potential and incident T2DM.

Methods: Data from 6,016 US men in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study who completed a 3-day diet record were used.

Impact of a 12-month Inflammation Management Intervention on the Dietary Inflammatory Index, inflammation, and lipids.

Background And Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility (ability to recruit participants and develop the 12-month intervention), acceptability (retention of participants in the intervention), and impact on systemic inflammation and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) scores over a 12-month DII-based intervention.

Methods: Adults were recruited to participate in a self-selection trial (intervention: n = 61, in-person classes; control: n = 34, newsletters). Classes included participatory cooking and dietary recommendations focused on consuming a plant-based diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods (spices, vegetables, etc.

Relationships between chronotype, social jetlag, sleep, obesity and blood pressure in healthy young adults.

Sleep disturbances, chronotype and social jetlag (SJL) have been associated with increased risks for major chronic diseases that take decades to develop, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Potential relationships between poor sleep, chronotype and SJL as they relate to metabolic risk factors for chronic disease have not been extensively investigated. This prospective study examined chronotype, SJL and poor sleep in relation to both obesity and elevated blood pressure among healthy young adults.

Perspective: The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)-Lessons Learned, Improvements Made, and Future Directions.

The literature on the role of inflammation in health has grown exponentially over the past several decades. Paralleling this growth has been an equally intense focus on the role of diet in modulating inflammation, with a doubling in the size of the literature approximately every 4 y. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was developed to provide a quantitative means for assessing the role of diet in relation to health outcomes ranging from blood concentrations of inflammatory cytokines to chronic diseases.

Baseline markers of inflammation, lipids, glucose, and Dietary Inflammatory Index scores do not differ between adults willing to participate in an intensive inflammation reduction intervention and those who do not.

Background:: Chronic inflammation is associated with numerous chronic diseases and can be managed with diet.

Aim:: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in baseline characteristics and plasma inflammation levels between two groups of participants that participated in an intensive, lifestyle intervention or a remotely delivered intervention. This work also assessed the association between Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores and participants' inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers at baseline.

Design, Development and Construct Validation of the Children's Dietary Inflammatory Index.

Objective: To design and validate a literature-derived, population-based Children's Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII).

Design: The C-DII was developed based on a review of literature through 2010. Dietary data obtained from children in 16 different countries were used to create a reference database for computing C-DII scores based on consumption of macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and whole foods.

Sistas Inspiring Sistas Through Activity and Support (SISTAS): Study Design and Demographics of Participants.

Introduction: Recruiting racial, ethnic, and other underserved minorities into conventional clinic-based and other trials is known to be challenging. The Sistas Inspiring Sistas Through Activity and Support (SISTAS) Program was a one-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) to promote physical activity and healthy eating among AA women in SC to reduce inflammatory biomarkers, which are linked to increased breast cancer (BrCa) risk and mortality. This study describes the development, recruitment, and implementation of the SISTAS clinical trial and provides baseline characteristics of the study participants.

Association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and urinary enterolignans and C-reactive protein from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-2003-2008.

Background: Enterolignans are important biomarkers of microbiota diversity, with higher levels indicating greater diversity. Diet and inflammation have been shown to play a role in maintaining microbiota diversity. This study examined whether inflammatory potential of diet, as measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) has an impact on levels of urinary enterolignans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2008.

Energy Intake Derived from an Energy Balance Equation, Validated Activity Monitors, and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry Can Provide Acceptable Caloric Intake Data among Young Adults.

Background: Assessments of energy intake (EI) are frequently affected by measurement error. Recently, a simple equation was developed and validated to estimate EI on the basis of the energy balance equation [EI = changed body energy stores + energy expenditure (EE)].

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare multiple estimates of EI, including 2 calculated from the energy balance equation by using doubly labeled water (DLW) or activity monitors, in free-living adults.

Persistence of social jetlag and sleep disruption in healthy young adults.

Sleep disruption has been associated with increased risks for several major chronic diseases that develop over decades. Differences in sleep/wake timing between work and free days can result in the development of social jetlag (SJL), a chronic misalignment between a person's preferred sleep/wake schedule and sleep/wake timing imposed by his/her work schedule. Only a few studies have examined the persistence of SJL or sleep disruption over time.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index is associated with elevated white blood cell counts in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

White blood cells (WBCs) are considered a reliable biomarker of inflammation. Elevations in both WBCs and pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with several chronic conditions. Diet is a strong moderator of inflammation and WBCs.

Predictors of Retention among African Americans in a Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Healthy Eating and Active Living in the Spirit (HEALS) Intervention.

Introduction: Retention of racial/ethnic minority groups into research trials is necessary to fully understand and address health disparities. This study was conducted to identify participants' characteristics associated with retention of African Americans (AAs) in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a behavioral intervention.

Methods: Using data from an RCT conducted from 2009 to 2012 among AAs, participant-level factors were examined for associations with retention between three measurement points (ie, baseline, 3-month, and 12-month).

The Dietary Inflammatory Index, shift work, and depression: Results from NHANES.

Objectives: Abnormal physiology (e.g., inflammation), brought on by environmental exposures (e.

Effect of Cruciferous Vegetable Intake on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers: Differences by Breast Cancer Status.

This post hoc analysis examined cruciferous vegetable intake on urinary oxidative metabolites in postmenopausal women. Intervention participants (n = 69) received cruciferous vegetables (≥14 cups/week) during a 3-week period. First morning urine measured 8-isoprostane and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine.

Association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and telomere length and C-reactive protein from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-1999-2002.

Scope: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is an important biomarker of aging. This study examined whether inflammatory potential of diet, as measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) has an impact on telomere shortening in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We also carried out validation of the DII with C-reactive protein (CRP).

Association between the dietary inflammatory index, waist-to-hip ratio and metabolic syndrome.

Inflammation due to poor diet may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetSyn). The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was created to characterize diet on a scale from anti- to pro-inflammatory. Our hypothesis was that higher (i.

Perspective: Randomized Controlled Trials Are Not a Panacea for Diet-Related Research.

Research into the role of diet in health faces a number of methodologic challenges in the choice of study design, measurement methods, and analytic options. Heavier reliance on randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs is suggested as a way to solve these challenges. We present and discuss 7 inherent and practical considerations with special relevance to RCTs designed to study diet: 1) the need for narrow focus; 2) the choice of subjects and exposures; 3) blinding of the intervention; 4) perceived asymmetry of treatment in relation to need; 5) temporal relations between dietary exposures and putative outcomes; 6) strict adherence to the intervention protocol, despite potential clinical counter-indications; and 7) the need to maintain methodologic rigor, including measuring diet carefully and frequently.

Association between previously diagnosed circulatory conditions and a dietary inflammatory index.

Inflammation is a key contributor to the development or recurrence of circulatory disorders. Diet is a strong modifier of inflammation. It was hypothesized that more pro-inflammatory diets, as indicated by higher Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores, would be associated with self-reported previously diagnosed circulatory disorders using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

Anti-inflammatory Dietary Inflammatory Index scores are associated with healthier scores on other dietary indices.

Dietary components are important determinants of systemic inflammation, a risk factor for most chronic diseases. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was developed to assess dietary inflammatory potential. It was hypothesized that anti-inflammatory DII scores would be associated with "healthier" scores on other dietary indices.