The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies

Background and objectiveChronic low-grade inflammation plays a critical role in the onset and progression of both sarcopenia and obesity. Diet, as a well-known modifiable factor of low-grade inflammation, significantly impacts adverse health conditions, including obesity and sarcopenia. This study a...

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Main Authors: Xi Luo, Weiwei Jin, Shengcheng Mao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1621199/full
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author Xi Luo
Weiwei Jin
Shengcheng Mao
author_facet Xi Luo
Weiwei Jin
Shengcheng Mao
author_sort Xi Luo
collection DOAJ
description Background and objectiveChronic low-grade inflammation plays a critical role in the onset and progression of both sarcopenia and obesity. Diet, as a well-known modifiable factor of low-grade inflammation, significantly impacts adverse health conditions, including obesity and sarcopenia. This study aims to explore the association between dietary inflammatory potential and sarcopenic obesity (SO).MethodsA total of 4,470 subjects from two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (2015–2016 and 2017–2018) and 276 subjects enrolled at Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province between January 2024 and February 2025 were enrolled in the present study. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and SO. Moreover, the mediating effect of C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) and neutrophil-percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) was evaluated to investigate the association between DII and SO in the NHANES cohort.ResultsIn the NHANES cohort, logistic regression demonstrated a positive association between the DII score and SO (adjusted odds ratio (OR) continuous = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.32, p = 0.012; adjusted OR tertile3vs1 = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.28, 2.92, p for trend = 0.015). In the Chinese population cohort, a positive association also existed between DII and SO (adjusted OR continuous = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.30, 1.94, p < 0.001; adjusted OR tertile3vs1 = 6.10, 95% CI = 2.72, 13.68, p for trend <0.001). Using the NHANES data, the mediation analysis indicated that CALLY mediated 39.49% of the association between DII and SO, while NPAR mediated 7.35%.ConclusionAn elevated DII score is positively associated with the risk of SO in adults. The association appeared to be partially mediated through inflammatory/nutritional pathways, suggesting that the DII score may serve as a valuable indicator for the identification of individuals at risk of SO.
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spelling doaj-art-766f0ce3bc0147de838c76590b98d3512025-08-20T03:59:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-08-011210.3389/fnut.2025.16211991621199The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studiesXi Luo0Weiwei Jin1Shengcheng Mao2Department of Clinical Nutrition, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, ChinaBackground and objectiveChronic low-grade inflammation plays a critical role in the onset and progression of both sarcopenia and obesity. Diet, as a well-known modifiable factor of low-grade inflammation, significantly impacts adverse health conditions, including obesity and sarcopenia. This study aims to explore the association between dietary inflammatory potential and sarcopenic obesity (SO).MethodsA total of 4,470 subjects from two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (2015–2016 and 2017–2018) and 276 subjects enrolled at Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province between January 2024 and February 2025 were enrolled in the present study. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and SO. Moreover, the mediating effect of C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) and neutrophil-percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) was evaluated to investigate the association between DII and SO in the NHANES cohort.ResultsIn the NHANES cohort, logistic regression demonstrated a positive association between the DII score and SO (adjusted odds ratio (OR) continuous = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.32, p = 0.012; adjusted OR tertile3vs1 = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.28, 2.92, p for trend = 0.015). In the Chinese population cohort, a positive association also existed between DII and SO (adjusted OR continuous = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.30, 1.94, p < 0.001; adjusted OR tertile3vs1 = 6.10, 95% CI = 2.72, 13.68, p for trend <0.001). Using the NHANES data, the mediation analysis indicated that CALLY mediated 39.49% of the association between DII and SO, while NPAR mediated 7.35%.ConclusionAn elevated DII score is positively associated with the risk of SO in adults. The association appeared to be partially mediated through inflammatory/nutritional pathways, suggesting that the DII score may serve as a valuable indicator for the identification of individuals at risk of SO.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1621199/fulldietary inflammatory indexCRP-albumin-lymphocyte indexneutrophil-percentage-toalbumin ratiosarcopenic obesityNHANES
spellingShingle Xi Luo
Weiwei Jin
Shengcheng Mao
The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
Frontiers in Nutrition
dietary inflammatory index
CRP-albumin-lymphocyte index
neutrophil-percentage-toalbumin ratio
sarcopenic obesity
NHANES
title The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
title_full The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
title_fullStr The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
title_full_unstemmed The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
title_short The impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity: evidence from two observational studies
title_sort impact of elevated dietary inflammatory potential on sarcopenic obesity evidence from two observational studies
topic dietary inflammatory index
CRP-albumin-lymphocyte index
neutrophil-percentage-toalbumin ratio
sarcopenic obesity
NHANES
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1621199/full
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