Author information
1School of Cardiovascular and Medical Health, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK.
2Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile.
3College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.
4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.
5Faculty of Public Health, Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, Kasetsart University, Sakon Nakhon, Thailand.
6Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillan, Chile.
7School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
8Human Nutrition Research Centre, Centre for Healthier Lives, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
9Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
10Department of Gastroenterology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
11School of Cardiovascular and Medical Health, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK. Carlos.Celis@glasgow.ac.uk.
12Human Performance Laboratory, Education, Physical Activity and Health Research Unit, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile. Carlos.Celis@glasgow.ac.uk
Abstract
Background: Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is linked to inflammation, whether an inflammatory diet increases the risk of NAFLD is unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between the Energy-adjusted Diet Inflammatory Index (E-DII) score and severe NAFLD using UK Biobank.
Methods: This prospective cohort study included 171,544 UK Biobank participants. The E-DII score was computed using 18 food parameters. Associations between the E-DII and incident severe NAFLD (defined as hospital admission or death) were first investigated by E-DII categories (very/moderately anti-inflammatory [E-DII < - 1], neutral [E-DII - 1 to 1] and very/moderately pro-inflammatory [E-DII > 1]) using Cox proportional hazard models. Nonlinear associations were investigated using penalised cubic splines fitted into the Cox proportional hazard models. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors.
Results: Over a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 1489 participants developed severe NAFLD. After adjusting for confounders, individuals in the very/moderately pro-inflammatory category had a higher risk (HR: 1.19 [95% CI: 1.03 to 1.38]) of incident severe NAFLD compared with those in the very/moderately anti-inflammatory category. There was some evidence of nonlinearity between the E-DII score and severe NAFLD.
Conclusions: Pro-inflammatory diets were associated with a higher risk of severe NAFLD independent of confounders such as the components of the metabolic syndrome. Considering there is no recommended treatment for the disease, our findings suggest a potential means to lower the risk of NAFLD.