A posteriori dietary patterns and their association with systemic low-grade inflammation in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Context

A posteriori dietary patterns are promising ways of uncovering potential public health strategies for the prevention of systemic, low-grade, inflammation-related, chronic noncommunicable diseases.

Objective

To investigate and summarize the current evidence on the association between a posteriori dietary patterns and systemic, low-grade inflammation in adults.

Data sources

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and LILACS were searched.

Data extraction

Data screening, extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by 2 investigators. Meta-analysis with random effects was conducted. Differences and similarities between reduced rank regression–derived dietary patterns were assessed.

Results

Healthy dietary patterns are inversely and the Western dietary pattern is positively associated with inflammation (r = −0.13, 95% confidence interval −0.20 to −0.06; and r = 0.11, 95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.12, respectively). Reduced rank regression–derived anti-inflammatory dietary patterns are consistently characterized by high intake of fresh fruits and inflammatory dietary patterns are consistently characterized by high intake of red and processed meat and low intake of vegetables.

Conclusion

Favoring the substitution of a Westernized diet for a healthy diet may lower inflammation, which might improve the prevention of some chronic noncommunicable diseases.