title: Dietary patterns are associated with biochemical markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary patterns may influence cardiovascular disease risk through effects on inflammation and endothelial activation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined relations between dietary patterns and markers of inflammation and endothelial activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline, diet (food-frequency questionnaire) and concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), homocysteine, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and soluble E selectin were assessed in 5089 nondiabetic participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four dietary patterns were derived by using factor analysis. The fats and processed meats pattern (fats, oils, processed meats, fried potatoes, salty snacks, and desserts) was positively associated with CRP (P for trend < 0.001), IL-6 (P for trend < 0.001), and homocysteine (P for trend = 0.002). The beans, tomatoes, and refined grains pattern (beans, tomatoes, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products) was positively related to sICAM-1 (P for trend = 0.007). In contrast, the whole grains and fruit pattern (whole grains, fruit, nuts, and green leafy vegetables) was inversely associated with CRP, IL-6, homocysteine (P for trend < or = 0.001), and sICAM-1 (P for trend = 0.034), and the vegetables and fish pattern (fish and dark-yellow, cruciferous, and other vegetables) was inversely related to IL-6 (P for trend = 0.009). CRP, IL-6, and homocysteine relations across the fats and processed meats and whole grains and fruit patterns were independent of demographics and lifestyle factors and were not modified by race-ethnicity. CRP and homocysteine relations were independent of waist circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results corroborate previous findings that empirically derived dietary patterns are associated with inflammation and show that these relations in an ethnically diverse population with unique dietary habits are similar to findings in more homogeneous populations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. nettleton@epi.umn.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nettleton
authors.forename: Lyn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mayer-Davis
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Jenny
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Herrington
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D005006:Ethnicity; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019040:E-Selectin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein