Role of inflammation in the association between the western dietary pattern and metabolic syndrome among Lebanese adults

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether inflammation mediates the previously observed direct association between the western dietary pattern (WDP) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Lebanese adults. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary pattern scores, anthropometric and biochemical data of 331 adults were used in this study. Inflammation indicators considered were: serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the dietary inflammatory index (DII). The scores of the WDP were significantly associated with DII (r = .64) but not with serum CRP. Higher CRP levels increased the odds of MetS and four out of five of its components, while no association was found between the DII and MetS.

Conclusion: The findings of this study confirmed the association of serum CRP with MetS but did not support mediation effect of inflammation on the association between the WDP and MetS. These findings are important to direct future investigations on diet, inflammation and association with diseases risk.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Metabolic syndrome
• dietary patterns
• inflammation

Acknowledgments

The original survey was funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research through its support to the Associated Research Unit on Undernutrition and Obesity in Lebanon, the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET in the US), and the World Health Organization (WHO) - Lebanon. Drs. Shivappa and Hébert were supported by grant number R44DK103377 from the US NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The funding sources had no involvement in the analysis of data, interpretation of data, or in the writing of this report.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The original survey was funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research through its support to the Associated Research Unit on Undernutrition and Obesity in Lebanon, the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET in the US), and the World Health Organization (WHO) - Lebanon. Drs. Shivappa and Hébert were supported by grant number R44DK103377 from the US NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).