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Clinical nutrition, enteral and parenteral nutrition

Dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Dietary patterns and biomarkers of inflammation have been scarcely associated. The aim was to assess dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls.

Subjects/Methods:

Fasting blood samples were collected from 12- to 17-year old girls (n=219) to measure adiponectin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and food intake were also measured. Western (WDP) and Mediterranean (MDP) dietary patterns were identified.

Results:

BMI and WHtR were associated with adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP (the last, only associated with BMI). Intakes of β-carotene equivalents and vitamin C were associated with adiponectin; saturated fatty acids (SFA), vitamin A, manganese and selenium with leptin; linoleic acid with PAI-1; and oleic acid and vitamin E with IL-6. Selenium was inversely associated with adiponectin, whereas magnesium was positively associated with IL-6. MDP was associated with higher plasma concentrations of adiponectin (β=0.174, P<0.05); after adjustment for BMI, associations were not significant (β=0.144, P=0.076). WDP was negatively associated with adiponectin (β=−0.177, P<0.05) and positively with IL-6 (β=0.183, P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Subclinical inflammation is detectable with increasing BMI and also WHtR. Measures of adiposity (BMI and WHtR) are significant predictors of adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP. Dietary patterns per se have a small role in affecting inflammatory markers among adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

This study is supported by Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumption Affairs (Programme of Promotion of Biomedical Research and Health Sciences, Projects 05/1276, 08/1259 and 11/01791, Red Predimed-RETIC RD06/0045/1004 and CIBERobn CB12/03/30038), Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (FPU Programme, PhD fellowship to Maria del Mar Bibiloni). The Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands belongs to the Centre Català de la Nutrició (IEC) and Exernet Network.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

MdelMB and JAT conceived, designed and devised the study, MdelMB, CM, IL, AP and JAT collected and supervised the samples, and analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. MdelMB and JAT supervised the study. AP and JAT obtained funding.

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Correspondence to J A Tur.

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del Mar Bibiloni, M., Maffeis, C., Llompart, I. et al. Dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 1264–1270 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.196

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