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Dietary Intake and Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels in US Military Veterans

Stephanie D Ansley1,2, Jeffrey T Howard1,2

  • 1Department of Public Health, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|January 9, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Deployed military veterans show higher high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, indicating elevated inflammation, compared to civilians. This association persists regardless of diet, suggesting military stressors may impact cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Science
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis.
  • Limited research exists on dietary impacts on hs-CRP in large, diverse populations, especially minority military groups.
  • Understanding these associations is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between dietary intake, health behaviors, and hs-CRP levels in former military personnel.
  • To examine if these associations differ across racial and ethnic groups.
  • To assess the impact of military service on inflammatory markers.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) 2015-2018 waves.
  • Employed a complex, multistage, probability sample design for national representativeness.
  • Conducted multivariable adjustments to control for confounding factors.

Main Results:

  • Previously deployed military service members exhibited a higher prevalence of clinically elevated hs-CRP compared to civilians.
  • These differences in hs-CRP persisted between deployed veterans and civilians even after multivariable adjustment.
  • Overweight and obese individuals showed elevated hs-CRP compared to normal BMI individuals; dietary factors did not alter veteran status associations.

Conclusions:

  • Deployed military service members have a higher prevalence of elevated hs-CRP, suggesting increased inflammation.
  • Dietary intake did not explain the heightened hs-CRP levels observed in veterans.
  • Further research is needed to explore the role of military-specific stressors in adverse health outcomes for this population.

Keywords:
health behaviorsinflammationmilitary healthnutrition

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