Nearly 60 Percent Of Americans Eat Pro-inflammatory Diets

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Almost 6 in 10 Americans have pro-inflammatory diets, increasing their risk of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. That’s according to a recent analysis by researchers at Ohio State University, who used the dietary inflammatory index to assess the diets of over 34,500 adults from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

After analyzing the data, the team found that — while 34 percent of participants had anti-inflammatory diets and 9 percent had neutral ones — the majority ate in ways that promoted inflammation. Black Americans, men, younger adults, and people with lower incomes and education levels were more likely to consume pro-inflammatory diets.

The researchers point out that an overall balanced diet is crucial for optimal health, because a high intake of substances like alcohol or red meat can still make a diet pro-inflammatory, even if someone consumes fruits and vegetables. They also encourage people to focus on adding anti-inflammatory foods like garlic, ginger, turmeric, green and black tea, whole grains, leafy greens, legumes, fatty fish, and berries to support good health.