Association of Dietary Inflammatory Potential with Inflammatory Biomarkers in Brazilian Children: The Role of Obesity Status in the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The objective of this study was to test the association of Pro-Inflammatory/Anti-Inflammatory Food Intake Score (PAIFIS) and inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 levels in a sample of Brazilian children. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This cross-sectional study included children aged 5-8 years. Levels of inflammatory biomarkers and habitual food intake were measured using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate PAIFIS and anthropometric and socioeconomic data. The Mann-Whitney test, Spearman's correlation test, and nonparametric regression models with Kernel effects were used for analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> PAIFIS showed an association with increased TNF-α in the univariate analysis [<i>β</i> = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05-1.15] and the multivariate analysis adjusted for the sum of skinfolds (ΣSF) and income (<i>β</i> = 0.31, 95% CI 0.00-1.11). ΣSF was associated with an increase in TNF-α (<i>β</i> = 15.0, 95% CI 3.16-36.1) and CRP (<i>β</i> = 0.013, 95% CI 0.004-0.022). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The PAIFIS shows a positive association with TNF-α. Adiposity was also identified as an important risk factor for inflammation.