The association between the dietary inflammatory index and glioma: A case-control study

Summary Background & aims Dietary inflammatory potential has been associated with several cancers. However, the relationship between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and glioma is not clear. The aim of this study was to examine DII in relation to glioma. Methods In a hospital-based case-control study, we selected 128 newly-diagnosed cases of glioma and 256 controls. Cases were medically confirmed glioma patients, with no history of other cancers. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess diet. DII scores were calculated based on the quantity of dietary components with inflammatory or anti-inflammatory potential. We used conditional logistic regression models to examine the association between the DII and glioma. Result Study participants were on average 43 years old and predominantly male (58%). After controlling for age, sex and energy intake, individuals in the highest quartile of DII had 87% (95% CI: 1.00–3.47) increased risk of glioma compared to those in the lowest quartile. Additional adjustment for environmental confounders strengthened the relationship; participants with the greatest DII scores had approximately 2.1 times (95% CI: 1.06, 3.83) increased odds of glioma than those with the lowest intake scores. The association was not substantially altered by further adjustment for BMI (2.76; 1.15–6.60). Conclusion In conclusion, diets with high anti-inflammatory and low inflammatory nutrient contents are recommended to prevent glioma.