Dietary Polyphenols and Inflammatory Markers in Rural Adult Women in Puno, Peru

Dietary polyphenols are bioactive compounds credited with health protection and reducing inflammation. Evidence on their effects is limited in low- and middle-income countries, especially among rural populations.

To evaluate the association between dietary polyphenols intake and markers of inflammation and endothelial adhesion over 12 mo of follow-up among rural adult women participating in the Cardiopulmonary Outcomes and Household Air Pollution randomized controlled trial.

We used data at baseline and 12-mo visit in 100 healthy women aged 25-64 y living in rural communities in Puno, Peru. We assessed dietary intake using 24-h dietary recalls and measured inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, IL-1β, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α] and endothelial adhesion (vascular cell adhesion protein-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1) biomarkers in dried blood spots using immunoassay analyses. We quantified polyphenol intake using the Phenol-Explorer database. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the association between changes (12-mo of follow-up minus baseline) in dietary polyphenols intake, and inflammatory and endothelial adhesion markers at 12-mo.

At baseline, mean (±standard deviation) participant age was 49 ± 10 y, mean total polyphenol intake was 335 ± 193 mg/d, and mean phenolic acids intake was 195 ± 80 mg/d. Lower IL-1β concentrations at 12-mo were associated with higher energy-adjusted phenolic acid intake [adjusted mean difference -0.35 pg/mL per mg/d; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.63, -0.07]. In contrast, higher anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 concentrations at 12 mo were associated with higher energy-adjusted intake of stilbenes (0.42 pg/mL per mg/d; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.66) and other polyphenols (0.28 pg/mL per mg/d; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.46).

Higher polyphenol intake, particularly phenolic acids and stilbenes, was associated with an improved anti-inflammatory profile in rural women.