title: Nutrient patterns and chronic inflammation in a cohort of community dwelling middle-aged men.
abstract: There is limited data relating to the effect of the combination of nutrients on inflammation and the interactions with lifestyle factors and chronic conditions. We examined the association between nutrient patterns and inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in community dwelling middle-aged and elderly Australian men.
  
  
  
  Participants (mean age 59.7 y) with complete data relating to diet and fasting serum inflammatory markers in the Men Androgen Inflammation Lifestyle Environment and Stress cohort were analysed (n = 1577 for CRP, n = 1557 for IL-6). Food intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and nutrient patterns were identified by factor analysis. Biomedical examinations were conducted in The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Lyell McEwin Health Service. CRP and IL-6 were log transformed due to the skewed distribution. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between nutrient patterns and inflammation.
  
  
  
  We generated three nutrient patterns by factor analysis. An animal-sourced pattern (animal protein, cobalamin, cholesterol and omega-6) was positively associated with CRP (p for trend across quartiles 0.057). A plant-sourced pattern (beta-carotene, vitamin A, lutein and zeaxanthin) was inversely associated with CRP (p for trend across quartiles 0.005). The association between plant-sourced pattern and CRP was stronger in participants with severe sleep apnoea, smoking (p for interaction 0.019), and participants without diabetes (p for interaction 0.238) and/or with normal triglycerides (p for interaction 0.005) and high density lipoprotein (p for interaction 0.120) compared with their counterparts. No interactions were found between the animal-sourced pattern and lifestyle factors and chronic conditions. No independent associations were found between the animal/plant-sourced pattern and IL-6. No associations were found between the vitamin B and folate pattern (total folate, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin) and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  
  While an animal-sourced pattern may enhance inflammation level, a plant-sourced pattern may reduce inflammation particularly in people with less healthy lifestyles and severe obstructive apnoea.
authors.affiliation: Population Research and Outcome Studies, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: yingting.cao@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Yingting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wittert
authors.affiliation: Population Research and Outcome Studies, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: The Health Observatory, Discipline of Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Campus, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; The Health Observatory, Discipline of Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Campus, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Appleton
authors.affiliation: Population Research and Outcome Studies, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Zumin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Apnoea-hypopnoea index; C-reactive protein; Inflammation; Lifestyle; Nutrient patterns