Dietary inflammation index is associated with dyslipidemia: evidence from national health and nutrition examination survey, 1999–2019

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and dyslipidemia, as well as to evaluate the mortality risk associated with DII in participants with dyslipidemia. METHODS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database were divided into dyslipidemia and non-dyslipidemia groups. The association between DII and dyslipidemia was investigated using the weighted chi-square test, weighted t-test, and weighted logistic regression. Weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality within the dyslipidemia group. RESULTS: A total of 17,820 participants, including 4,839 without and 12,981 with dyslipidemia were analyzed in this study. The results showed that DII was higher in the dyslipidemia group compared to the non-dyslipidemia group (1.42 ± 0.03 vs. 1.23 ± 0.04, P < 0.01). However, for energy, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, and iron, DII was lower in participants with dyslipidemia. Logistic regression analysis revealed a strong positive association between DII and dyslipidemia. The odds ratios for dyslipidemia from Q1 to Q4 were 1.00 (reference), 1.12 (0.96–1.31), 1.23 (1.04–1.44), and 1.33 (1.11–1.59), respectively. In participants with dyslipidemia, a high DII was associated with high all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSION: DII was closely associated with dyslipidemia. A pro-inflammatory diet may play a role in unfavorable consequences and is linked to both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death in patients with dyslipidemia. Participants with dyslipidemia should pay attention to their anti-inflammatory dietary patterns. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-023-01914-z.