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ObjectivesThe present study was conducted to evaluate whether there is a link between the diet quality index (DQI) and markers of systemic inflammation in Iranian overweight and obese women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 200 Iranian overweight and obese women aged 18–48 years. The DQI-international (DQI-I) comprises four main components: variety, adequacy, moderation, and overall balance. Blood samples were collected in a fasted state to measure inflammatory markers.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, total energy intake, economic status, education, supplement intake, age of starting obesity, and history of body mass loss, a marginally significant negative association was observed between the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA–IR) and the DQI–I (β: −0.015, 95% CI: −0.03, 0.000; p = 0.061). The results after adjustment showed that DQI–I has a negative association with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs–CRP) concentrations (β: −0.031, 95% CI: −0.104, −0.031; p = 0.023). Furthermore, negative associations were observed between the adequacy component and levels of HOMA–IR (β: −0.025, 95% CI: −0.100, 0.047, p = 0.050) and hs-CRP (β: −0.615, 95% CI: −1.191, −0.020; p = 0.045). In addition, negative associations were found between transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and balance score (β: −6.270, 95% CI: −39.211, −3.661, p = 0.020), as well as HOMA–IR (β: −0.080, 95% CI: −0.202, −0.000, p = 0.041) and chemoattractant protein−1 (MCP−1) (β: −0.562, 95% CI: −11.414, −0.282, p = 0.021), with the various component. A marginally significant negative association between galectin 3 (Gal-3) and moderation score (β: −0.451, 95% CI: −1.171, 0.060, p = 0.060) was found. In addition, a marginally significant inverse association was also established between hs–CRP and variety score (β: −0.311, 95% CI: −0.970, 0.001, p = 0.052). The Receiver Operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that DQI–I might better predict HOMA–IR with a cut point of 3.13 (AUC = 0.698, 0.511–0.699, p = 0.050).ConclusionThese findings showed that a higher adherence to diet quality and its components could probably be related to lowering the inflammatory markers considerably in overweight and obese women.

IntroductionThis study examined the cross-sectional association between household dietary patterns and sociodemographic characteristics and BMI in a nationally representative sample of Iranian adults.MethodsData on 6,833 households (n = 17,824 adults) from the National Comprehensive Study on Household Food Consumption Pattern and Nutritional Status 2001–2003 were used. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to extract dietary patterns from three household 24-h dietary recalls. Linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between dietary patterns and sociodemographic characteristics and BMI.ResultsThree dietary patterns were identified: the first was characterized by high citrus fruit intake, the second by high hydrogenated fats intake and the third by high non-leafy vegetables intake. The first and third patterns were associated with household heads with higher education and living in urban areas, while the second was associated with household heads with lower education and living in rural areas. All dietary patterns were positively associated with BMI. The strongest association was found with the first dietary pattern (β: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.55).DiscussionWhile all three dietary patterns were positively associated with BMI, the sociodemographic characteristics of Iranian adults who consumed them differed. These findings inform the design of population-level dietary interventions to address rising obesity rates in Iran.

Background:Given the role of insulin resistance in several cancers, we hypothesized that consumption of a diet that reduces insulin resistance might lower the risk of breast cancer.ObjectiveThe present study was designed to assess the association between consumption of “diabetes risk reduction diet” (DRRD) and odds of breast cancer among a large group of women in a Middle Eastern country.MethodsThis population-based case-control study enrolled 350 newly diagnosed cases of stage I-IV breast cancer and 700 age-matched apparently healthy individuals as controls. We collected dietary data via a validated 106-item Willett-format semi-quantitative dish-based food frequency questionnaire. A DRRD score was included based on 9 dietary factors (cereal fiber, coffee, nuts, whole fruits, ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated, trans fat, sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, and lower glycemic index). For food and nutrient items with a protective association with diabetes in earlier studies, participants were given the score as the quintile of that food item, but for food groups with unfavorable association with diabetes, we did vice versa. Total DRRD score ranged from 5 to 45.ResultsMean age of cases and controls was 65.28 and 61.04 years. Mean BMI of patients with breast cancer and controls was 25.5 and 21.0. We found that individuals with the greatest adherence to the DRRD were 0.41 times less likely to have breast cancer than those with the lowest adherence (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.90, and P-trend = 0.002). Stratified analysis by menopausal status indicated a significant inverse relationship in postmenopausal women (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.36–0.90), but not in premenopausal women (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.19–2.96). Moreover, by BMI status, we found statistically significant inverse association between adherence to the DRRD and odds of breast cancer among normal-weight women (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.98) but not in overweight women (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.31, 1.40). Conclusions: Significant inverse associations were found between adherence to DRRD and breast cancer, especially among postmenopausal and normal-weight women.