Americans’ diet filled with foods linked to inflammation, heart disease, new OSU study suggests

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Almost 6-in-10 Americans eat foods that promote inflammation in the body, increasing the risk heart disease and cancer, suggests a new Ohio State University study.

Researchers also found that certain populations – including Black Americans, men and low-income people – were more likely to eat a diet high in foods that promote inflammation, OSU said in a statement.

A diet with fewer foods that promote inflammation could affect chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression, researchers said.

"Overall, 57% of U.S. adults have a pro-inflammatory diet and that number was higher for Black Americans, men, younger adults and people with lower education and income," said lead author Rachel Meadows, visiting faculty in the Ohio State University's College of Public Health .

The research team used the dietary inflammatory index, a tool developed a decade ago that includes 45 dietary components, to examine the diets of more than 34,500 adults who self-reported what they ate. Data was taken from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Researchers used the dietary inflammatory index to assign inflammation values ranging from minus nine to eight, where zero represents a neutral diet. About 34% of those in the study had anti-inflammatory diets, and the remaining 9% had neutral dietary inflammatory levels.

The study was published recently in the journal Public Health Nutrition .

"Inflammation is an important element to consider and the overall balance of diet is most important," Meadows said. "Even if you're eating enough fruits or vegetables, if you're having too much alcohol or red meat, then your overall diet can still be pro-inflammatory."

Meadows said she's less interested in labeling foods as "bad" and more interested in thinking about anti-inflammatory foods as tools people can employ to boost health.

Examples of anti-inflammatory foods include whole grains, green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, fatty fish and berries.

Challenges to eating a less inflammatory diet include poor access to fruits, vegetables and other foods that can contribute to better health. Those foods can sometimes be more expensive, creating a barrier for low-income families, Meadows said.

Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link.