(P13-047-24) Impact of an Anti-inflammatory Diet as Potential Intervention on the Regulation of Inflammation by Zinc

Objectives: This study aimed to establish a connection between diet and inflammation, measured by hsCRP and WBCs as well as to explore the influence of zinc on this association.

Methods: Utilizing NHANES 2015-2016 data, this cross-sectional study involved 3563 US children and adolescents aged 2-19. General Linear Regression with weighted sampling was used, and multivariate models were executed using SPSS.v.29. Different models were run, and the best model fit was chosen. Stratified analyses were conducted, with significance determined by inferential statistics (p < 0.05).

Results: Significant differences were identified between the lowest and highest quintiles for sugar intake, as well as nutrients such as fiber, vitamin E, α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene. The relationship between an anti-inflammatory diet and inflammation was not statistically significant (p = 0.182 for WBC and p = 0.206 for hsCRP), however after correcting the model with confounding factors such as gender, BMI, ethnicity, health status, physical activity, along with the adjusted diet score (ADS), significant inverse association was found. This model significantly augmented the connection between diet and inflammation (all p < 0.000), revealing that higher ADS corresponds to lower inflammation. In the model adjusted for zinc levels, an inverse correlation was observed between serum zinc, zinc intake, and inflammation (p = 0.008, 0.023 with WBC, and p = 0.004, 0.307 with hsCRP, respectively).

Conclusions: Implementing an anti-inflammatory diet holds the potential to diminish the overall impact of inflammation at the population level. Anti-inflammatory diet can mitigate pro-inflammatory effects on hsCRP and WBCs, emphasize the necessity of efficient nutritional strategies (e.g. using dietary supplements) to encourage healthier eating patterns in children. Further research is warranted to understand the interplay of diet, zinc status, and inflammation in the children’s inflammatory status.

Funding Sources: This research is supported by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) and Florida International University (FIU).