This study aimed to identify the dietary patterns (DPs) of adolescents and assess indicators of subclinical inflammation. It was a cross-sectional study aligned with the RPS cohort with data from São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. We evaluated 511 adolescents between 18-19 years old. DPs were identified with a factor analysis of the principal components. Nutritional status was assessed with body mass index and body fat percentages. Hierarchical modeling was performed using a linear regression to estimate the beta coefficient (β) of the independent variables with the dependent variables interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Five DPs were identified: energy-dense, sugar-sweetened beverages and breakfast cereals, prudent, traditional Brazilian and alcoholic and energy beverages. Greater adherence to the prudent DP was associated with a lower concentration of interleukin-6 (β = -0.11; p value = 0.040). Greater adherence to the DP "traditional Brazilian" and "alcoholic and energy beverages" were associated with increased IL-6, mediated by the nutritional status. A higher BMI (β = 0.36; p value = <0.001) and %BF (β = 0.02; p value = 0.014) were associated with higher hs-CRP concentrations. The nutritional status and "prudent" pattern were associated with inflammatory biomarkers. These findings show that a higher consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods and the adequacy of the nutritional status are protective factors for the inflammatory process.
Keywords: food consumption; inflammation; nutritional status; principal component analysis; teenagers.