Adequate intake of plant protein foods and moderate intake of animal protein foods are inversely associated with C-reactive protein in US adults with diabetes: A cross-sectional study with National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Objective: This study examined the association between index component score levels of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) density-based index and the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) for protein foods and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in US adults with diabetes status. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from adult participants (>20 y) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010 (n = 12070) to obtain hs-CRP levels and index scores in US adults. Odds ratios (OR) of having an elevated hs-CRP (>3.0 mg/L) by score levels of protein food components (low: <80% versus high: >80% of the maximum score) were acquired using survey multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: After adjusting for age group, sex, race/ethnicity, and other potential confounders, participants with a low score were more likely to have an elevated hs-CRP level than those with a high score (DASH plant proteins and HEI-2015 seafood and plant proteins: P < 0.001). Adults with diabetes who had a low score were more likely to have an elevated hs-CRP than adults without diabetes who had a high score (DASH animal proteins: OR 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-1.87) (DASH plant proteins: OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.22-1.87) (HEI-2015 seafood and plant proteins: OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.16-1.65). Among adults with diabetes, those with a low score for animal protein foods were more likely to have an elevated hs-CRP (DASH animal proteins: OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.11-1.82) than those with a high score. Conclusions: Moderate intake of animal protein foods and adequate intake of plant protein foods were inversely associated with an elevated hs-CRP level in US adults, especially in those with diabetes. Further investigation is required to establish ideal density-based amounts or proportions of protein food subgroups. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study found that moderate intake of animal protein foods and adequate intake of plant protein foods were inversely associated with elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in US adults, especially in those with diabetes.