Diet Quality Scores and Central Precocious Puberty Risk in Chinese Girls: A Case-Control Study

Diet is an important factor influencing central precocious puberty (CPP). This study aimed to investigate the relationship among diet quality, pro-inflammatory diets, and CPP in Chinese girls.

This case-control study enroled 112 Chinese girls with CPP and 131 healthy controls. Children's dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, anthropometric and sociodemographic data were collected and serum interleukin-6 levels were measured. We calculated the Children's Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII), Chinese Children's Dietary Index (CCDI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, and the adjusted Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (aDASH) score. The association between diet and the risk of CPP was analysed using logistic regression models.

After adjustment, higher C-DII scores were associated with an increased risk of CPP (P for trend = 0.034), and aDASH scores were significantly negatively associated with the risk of CPP (P for trend = 0.048). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group and were positively correlated with the risk of CPP (P for trend = 0.006).

High-quality dietary patterns and an anti-inflammatory diet may contribute to the prevention of CPP in Chinese girls.