We aimed to assess the potential association of dietary (DIS) and lifestyle inflammation score (LIS) and their joint association (DLIS) with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in Tehranian adults.
The present study was designed cross-sectional.
A total of 265 males and females aged 18–70 years (mean ± SD: 36.9 ± 13.3) were entered in the present cross-sectional study. Eligible participants were healthy men and women who were free of medications and had no acute or chronic infection or inflammatory disease.
The DIS was calculated by the use of data from 18 anti- and pro-inflammatory dietary components, and the LIS by three non-dietary components including physical activity, smoking status, and general adiposity, with higher scores indicating a more pro-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, respectively. The DLIS was calculated by summing the DIS and LIS. CRF was assessed by the Bruce protocol and VO2 max was measuredas the main variable of CRF. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of CRF across tertiles of the DIS, LIS, and DLIS were estimated by logistic regression analysis with considering age, gender, energy intake, marital and education status, and occupation as confounders.
The DLIS ranged from −2.10 to 0.38 (mean ± SD: −1.25 ± 0.64). In the model that controlled for all variables, the ORs of CRF for the second and third tertiles of the DLIS as compared to the first tertile were 0.42 (95%CI: 0.20, 0.90) and 0.12 (95%CI: 0.05, 0.32), respectively (P-trend < 0.001). There was a strong inverse association between the LIS and CRF (ORthirdvs.firsttertile: 0.12, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.32). There was no association between DIS and CRF.
The present study examined the joint association of inflammation-related lifestyle behaviors with CRF and found a strong inverse association between a pro-inflammatory lifestyle with CRF. We did not find any association between dietary inflammatory properties with CRF. Future studies should address the relationship between the inflammatory potential of the diet and CRF.