Greater cumulative exposure to a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with higher metabolic syndrome score and blood pressure in young Mexican adults.

Low-grade inflammation is a suggested mechanism in the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and diet could act as a regulator. Therefore, we hypothesized that the cumulative Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) exposure from diet during infancy through adulthood would be positively associated with the MetS and its components in young Mexican adults. One hundred participants from the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants cohort were included in this analysis. The dietary inflammatory potential of the diet (without supplements) was assessed using 27 nutrients obtained from repeated food frequency questionnaires (1-22 years) using the DII, a validated score. The cumulative exposure of DII was constructed using the area under the curve (AUC of DII). The MetS was defined using the International Diabetes Federation criteria, and the Metabolic Syndrome Risk Z-score (MetRisk Z-score) was estimated. Linear regressions were conducted to assess the association between the AUC of DII with MetRisk Z-score and MetS components, adjusting for sex, socioeconomic status, smoking status, physical activity, birth weight, and body mass index. In adulthood, the mean age was 21.5 years, 54% were male, and 17% had MetS. Positive associations were found between AUC of DII with MetRisk Z-score (β = .12; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-0.22; P = .009) and systolic (β = .33; 95% CI: 0.05-0.61; P = .023) and diastolic blood pressure (β = .24; 95% CI: 0.01-0.47; P = .040). A cumulative proinflammatory diet from infancy through young adulthood is associated with higher MetRisk Z-scores as well as blood pressure. These findings may provide evidence for the implementation of anti-inflammatory diet interventions throughout early life for the prevention of cardiometabolic risk.