Comparing Diet-Related Inflammation Levels in Vegetarians and Meat Eaters

Greg Howard
24th August, 2024

Comparing Diet-Related Inflammation Levels in Vegetarians and Meat Eaters

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study took place in Shanghai and involved 279 vegetarians and omnivores of the same sex and age
  • Vegetarians had lower energy-adjusted inflammatory index scores compared to omnivores
  • Despite theoretical anti-inflammatory benefits, vegetarians showed higher levels of certain inflammatory markers, likely due to lower energy intake
The relationship between diet and inflammation has been a focal point in nutritional research, particularly concerning vegetarian diets. Inconsistencies in findings have often been attributed to the use of a single inflammatory biomarker in many studies. To address this gap, a recent study by researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine investigated the correlation between diet and inflammation in Chinese vegetarians using multiple inflammatory biomarkers[1]. The study involved 279 vegetarians and omnivores of the same sex and age, recruited in Shanghai in 2016. Participants provided a 24-hour dietary review, which was used to calculate the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and the Energy-adjusted Inflammatory Index (E-DII). Registered dietitians also designed energy intake-matched vegetarian and omnivore recipes to calculate a theoretical DII. Five serum inflammatory biomarkers were measured: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). The findings revealed that vegetarians had significantly lower E-DII and theoretical DII scores compared to omnivores (P < 0.001). However, the raw DII scores were almost the same between the two groups, likely due to lower energy intake among vegetarians (1367.97 ± 479.75 vs. 1724.78 ± 568.13, P < 0.001). Interestingly, levels of TNF-α, IL-6, NLR, and PLR were significantly higher in vegetarians than in omnivores, while no statistical differences were found in CRP levels. These results suggest that while a theoretical vegetarian diet with adequate energy intake shows good anti-inflammatory effects, this was not fully reflected in the real-world vegetarian population, possibly due to insufficient energy intake. This aligns with previous findings that showed mixed results regarding the impact of vegetarian diets on inflammation. For example, a study on Taiwanese vegetarians found lower CRP levels but higher homocysteine levels compared to omnivores, indicating a complex interaction between diet and inflammation[2]. Another study involving women with PCOS found that vegetarian women had higher pro-inflammatory markers compared to their non-vegetarian counterparts, further complicating the narrative[3]. The current study expands on these earlier findings by incorporating multiple inflammatory biomarkers and adjusting for energy intake, providing a more comprehensive picture of how vegetarian diets influence inflammation. It also highlights the importance of adequate energy intake in realizing the anti-inflammatory potential of vegetarian diets. In conclusion, while theoretical models suggest that vegetarian diets can be anti-inflammatory, real-world applications may fall short due to factors like insufficient energy intake. This study underscores the need for balanced dietary practices to achieve the potential health benefits associated with vegetarian diets. Further research is needed to explore these dynamics and to develop guidelines that can help vegetarians optimize their dietary habits for better health outcomes.

NutritionHealthFitness And Diet

References

Main Study

1) Comparison of dietary inflammatory index and inflammatory biomarkers between vegetarians and omnivores in Chinese population.

Published 23rd August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69168-y

Related Studies

2) Total cardiovascular risk profile of Taiwanese vegetarians.

Journal: European journal of clinical nutrition, Issue: Vol 62, Issue 1, Jan 2008

3) Comparative Evaluation of Biomarkers of Inflammation Among Indian Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Consuming Vegetarian vs. Non-vegetarian Diet.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00699


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