It was previously reported that dietary intake is an important trigger for systemic inflammation and one of the lifestyle factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score and body weight, blood pressure, lipid profile and leptin in an Indonesian population. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 503 Indonesian adults. The DII score was calculated based on data of 30 nutrients and food components. Anthropometric profile, blood pressure, lipid profile, and leptin were measured. The association of these variables with the DII score was analyzed. The DII score was not associated with body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (both unadjusted and after adjustment for covariates). However, plasma leptin concentration was significantly associated with the DII score (B = 0.096, p = 0.020). Plasma leptin also increased significantly across tertiles of the DII score (ANCOVA, p = 0.031). This positive association between the DII score and plasma leptin concentration suggests a role for the inflammatory properties of the diet in regulating adipose tissue inflammation.
Keywords: HDL; dietary inflammatory index; leptin; obesity; triglyceride.