A higher energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index is positively associated with total and visceral body fat in young male adults.

Background: The energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII™) has been associated with a high body mass index and markers of chronic diseases. Also, pro-inflammatory diets with a high E-DII have been positively associated with metabolic disturbances such as glucose intolerance and type II diabetes mellitus. However, it is unclear whether E-DII scores are positively associated with body fat percentage and visceral fat per se. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate whether the E-DII is associated with body fat content and metabolic health indicators in lean and obese young men.

Methods: The present study was conducted on 59 participants, without comorbidities, not using tobacco, medication and nutritional supplements. Dietary data were obtained by 3-day food records to calculate E-DII scores based on 28 food parameters. Body composition was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Blood samples were taken to measure fasting glucose, insulin, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. An oral glucose tolerance test also was performed. Associations were determined by mixed-effects linear regression.

Results: E-DII scores ranged from -3.48 to +3.10. Energy intake was similar across E-DII tertiles. After adjusting for covariates, the highest E-DII tertile was associated with increased body fat, visceral adipose tissue and waist circumference. There was no association between E-DII scores and glycaemic parameters.

Conclusions: In young participants, a dietary pattern with a higher E-DII (i.e., pro-inflammatory) score was associated with high body fat and markers of central adiposity assessed by DXA, regardless of body mass.