A NEW study has identified a significant association between the Children’s Dietary Inflammation Index (C-DII) and prediabetes among adolescents in the USA, alongside notable trends in dietary inflammation over recent years.
The research, utilising data from 13,684 adolescents aged 12–18 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2018), revealed a V-shaped pattern in C-DII scores. After a decline from 2001 to 2012, scores began rising again between 2013 and 2018. Prediabetes—a precursor to diabetes characterised by elevated blood sugar levels—was assessed using markers such as Haemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose, and glucose tolerance.
Findings suggest a linear relationship between higher C-DII scores and increased risk of prediabetes. Adolescents with medium and high C-DII scores were 22% (adjusted OR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.04–1.44) and 25% (adjusted OR 1.25; 95% CI: 0.99–1.60) more likely to have prediabetes, compared to those with low scores.
Subgroup analyses highlighted significant disparities. Boys with medium and high C-DII scores exhibited a 26% and 45% higher risk of prediabetes, respectively, while adolescents from economically disadvantaged households also faced elevated risks of 34% and 44% for medium and high scores.
These findings underscore the importance of monitoring dietary inflammation trends in adolescents. The data reflects a worrying resurgence in pro-inflammatory diets since 2013, coinciding with increased risks for metabolic disorders.
“Our results point to the critical need for dietary interventions, particularly targeting at-risk groups such as boys and economically disadvantaged youths,” researchers noted.
The study sheds light on the complex interplay between diet and prediabetes, offering valuable insights for public health initiatives aimed at curbing diabetes rates in younger populations.
Reference
Chen Z et al. Trends in Children’s Dietary Inflammatory Index and association with prediabetes in U.S. adolescents. Nutr Diabetes. 2024;14(1):94.
