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anti-inflammatory foods

Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index and stroke prevalence among American adults: NHANES 2007 to 2016

1 June 2026

Lian C, Zhong P, Song M, Wei Z.

Summary

What the study found

This large-scale study of over 27,000 American adults found a direct link between highly inflammatory diets and an increased history of stroke. The researchers observed that as the inflammatory potential of a person's diet increased, their likelihood of having experienced a stroke rose significantly in a linear fashion.

Key findings

  • Participants who had suffered a stroke had significantly higher Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores than those who had not.
  • Those consuming the most pro-inflammatory diets faced an 80% increase in the odds of stroke prevalence compared to those with the most anti-inflammatory diets.
  • The research identified a linear relationship, suggesting that even incremental shifts toward a more inflammatory diet correlate with higher stroke risk.
  • The strength of the association between dietary inflammation and stroke was influenced by factors such as age and educational attainment.

Practical takeaways

To support long-term brain health and longevity, individuals should prioritize anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, berries, and fatty fish while limiting pro-inflammatory triggers like refined sugars and trans fats. Reducing chronic systemic inflammation through consistent dietary choices appears to be a viable strategy for lowering the statistical risk of stroke.

Limitations

As this was a cross-sectional study, it can only identify associations and cannot prove that an inflammatory diet directly causes strokes. Furthermore, the data relied on self-reported physician diagnoses, which may be subject to participant recall errors.

Abstract

Limited evidence links chronic inflammation to stroke prevalence, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) serves as a valid tool to quantify the inflammatory potential of diets. This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2016, enrolling 27,250 adult participants. DII was calculated based on 24 dietary components and categorized into tertiles (Q1: anti-inflammatory diet, Q2: intermediate diet, Q3: pro-inflammatory diet). Stroke status was determined by participants' self-report of physician diagnosis, and covariates included demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Weighted logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline analysis were employed to explore the association between DII and stroke. Among the participants, 981 (3.6%) had a history of stroke, with the mean DII significantly higher in stroke patients than in non-stroke patients (mean ± standard deviation: 1.65 ± 1.91 vs 0.96 ± 2.06, P < .001). In the minimally adjusted Model 2, as the DII grouping level increased, the odds of stroke prevalence also increased (odds ratio: 1.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 1.91, P < .001). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a linear association between DII and stroke (nonlinear P = .5016), and subgroup analysis indicated significant interactions of this association with age and educational attainment (P < .05). In conclusion, a pro-inflammatory diet is positively associated with stroke prevalence in American adults, with a linear and stable relationship across different subgroups. Optimizing dietary inflammatory potential may be associated with lower stroke prevalence.
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