The relationship between dietary inflammatory index, inflammatory markers and metabolic syndrome components in adolescents

Aged between 10-16 years, 343 adolescents who applied to Pediatric Polyclinic in T.R. University of Health Sciences Antalya Training and Research Hospital participated in this study which aimed to detect general characteristics, dietary habits, food consumption and dietary inflammatory index (DII) of adolescents and to determine the relationship between DII and inflammation markers, metabolic syndrome prevalence and metabolic syndrome components. A questionnaire form was used to evaluate participants' sociodemographic status, dietary habits, physical activity levels and their anthropometric measurements were taken. Biochemical parameters such as fasting glucose, fasting insulin and lipid profile were analyzed for the evaluation of metabolic syndrome based on the blood samples taken. Analysis of inflammation markers such as sedimentation, leucocyte, CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 were also performed. In addition, DII scores were calculated based on energy and nutrient intakes obtained from the individuals' three-day food consumption records. The average of DII was 3.9±0.65 in boys and 3.5±0.87 in girls. Although there was no significant difference between sedimentation, leucocyte and CRP levels of the participants who were divided into quartiles based on their DII scores (p>0.05), those in the 4th quartile were observed to have higher levels of TNF-α and IL-6 compared to the others (p<0.05). In the multiple regression analysis, on the other hand, it was seen that a positive correlation existed only between IL-6 and DII, independently of other inflammatory markers (β=0.272; p<0.05). Participants with high DII scores had high intake of average daily energy, protein, carbohydrate, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, iron and B12; yet low intake of fiber, beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C (p<0.05). Individuals' fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure average and metabolic syndrome prevalence showed a significant increase from the 1st quartile towards the 4th (p<0.05). In conclusion, it was detected that DII was a feasible index used in determining inflammatory potential of diet in adolescents and that high DII scores increased the risk of MetS. For this reason, it is believed that adolescents' meeting the recommended daily energy and nutritent intake needs and consuming antiinflammatory nutrients will lead to a decrease in inflammatory potential of diet, healthy progression of growth and development and prevention of chronic diseases.