Pro-Inflammatory Diet Pervasive Among Americans
Chronic inflammation contributes to numerous health conditions, and there is evidence that certain foods promote inflammation and others have anti-inflammatory properties. A study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition (September 2024) estimated that close to 60% of Americans have largely pro-inflammatory diets. Using data from the 2005 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers analyzed the self-reported diets of 34,500 adults. They assigned inflammation values ranging from -9 to 8, where 0 represented a neutral diet. About 57% of participants ate a diet high in pro-inflammatory foods (such as processed foods, foods with saturated or trans fats and foods with high sugar content). About 34% had an anti-inflammatory diet (high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes), while 9% had a neutral diet. A pro-inflammatory diet was more common among men, younger adults and those with lower education and income.
