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Dietary inflammatory index® and cortical bone outcomes in healthy adolescent children
L M Coheley1, N Shivappa2, J R Hebert2
1Department of Foods and Nutrition, The University of Georgia, 279 Dawson Hall, 305 Sanford Drive, Athens, GA, USA.
Insights
This study found no link between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and inflammation or bone health in adolescents. However, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was inversely associated with tibia cortical thickness.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Bone Biology
- Inflammation Research
Background:
- Diet is a known modulator of inflammation.
- The relationship between diet, inflammation, and bone health in adolescents requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores and bone health indicators.
- To assess the relationship between DII scores and key inflammation biomarkers in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores were calculated from 3-day diet records and categorized into tertiles.
- Bone assessments (radius and tibia) were performed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography.
- Fasting serum was analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers including TNF-α, IL-6, VEGF, and MCP-1.
- Statistical analyses included bivariate and partial correlations, adjusting for covariates like sexual maturation, sex, race, muscle cross-sectional area, and height.
Main Results:
- Dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores showed initial negative associations with several bone parameters (tibia trabecular area, periosteal perimeter, endosteal perimeter, strength strain index; radius trabecular area, periosteal perimeter, strength strain index), but these were nullified after adjusting for covariates.
- Tibia periosteal perimeter was higher in the low DII group compared to medium and high groups, but this finding was also nullified after covariate adjustment.
- No significant associations were found between DII scores and TNF-α, VEGF, or IL-6.
- An unadjusted association was observed between DII scores and MCP-1, which became non-significant after adjustment.
- Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was inversely associated with tibia cortical thickness in the adjusted model.
Conclusions:
- The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was not associated with biomarkers of inflammation or bone health in this adolescent cohort after adjusting for covariates.
- Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) demonstrated an inverse relationship with tibia cortical thickness.
- Further prospective pediatric studies are recommended to elucidate the long-term implications of these findings into adulthood.
Abstract:
Diet is thought to modulate inflammation. This study shows no relationships between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and biomarkers of inflammation or bone after adjusting for covariates. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was inversely associated with peripheral tibia cortical thickness and prospective childhood studies should be conducted to better understand this relationship and to determine if there are long-term consequences in adulthood.
Introduction:
Examine the relationships between the DII-scores and bone and biomarkers of inflammation in 290 adolescents, ages 9-13 years.
Methods:
DII-scores were calculated from 3-day diet records and categorized into tertiles, low (< - 1.34), medium (- 1.34 to 1.41), and high (> 1.41) inflammation. Radius and tibia bone were assessed via peripheral quantitative computed tomography (Stratec XCT 2000) at the 66% site relative to the distal growth plate. Fasting serum was measured for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). The relationships between DII-scores and bone and biomarkers of inflammation were assessed using bivariate and partial correlations adjusting for sexual maturation, sex, race, muscle cross-sectional area, and height. ANOVA/ANCOVA models were used to compare DII-tertiles with dependent variables.
Results:
DII-scores were negatively associated with tibia trabecular area (TtAr; r = - .141, P = .019), periosteal perimeter (PsPM; r = - .145, P = .016), endosteal perimeter (r = - .145, P = .016), strength strain index (SSI; r = - .129, P = .032), and radius TtAr (r = - .140, P = .020), PsPM (r = -.138, P = .027) and SSI (r = -.131, P = .036) but nullified when adjusting for covariates. Tibia PsPM was higher in the low DII group compared to the medium (P = .050) and high (P = .046) groups but nullified after controlling for covariates. DII-scores were not associated with TNF-α, VEGF, or IL-6, but were associated with MCP-1 only in the unadjusted model (r = .125, P = .042). In the adjusted model, MCP-1 was inversely associated with tibia cortical thickness (r = -.150 P = .030).
Conclusion:
The DII-scores were not related to biomarkers of inflammation or bone; however, the biomarker of inflammation, MCP-1 was negatively associated with tibia CtTh. Future prospective pediatric studies should be conducted to better understand this relationship and determine if there are long-term implications in adulthood.
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