Dietary patterns, asthma, and lung function in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Rationale: Dietary patterns may alter immune responses and increase asthma risk or affect lung function. Objectives: To examine whether a proinflammatory diet (assessed by the energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index [E-DII]) or high dietary quality (assessed by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index [AHEI-2010]) are associated with current asthma, current asthma symptoms, and lung function in Hispanic adults. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 12,687 adults aged 18 to 76 years who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/ Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). The E-DII and AHEI-2010 were calculated based on two 24-hour dietary recalls. Logistic or linear regression was used for the multivariable analysis of E-DII or AHEI-2010 scores and current asthma, asthma symptoms, and lung function measures, adjusting for age, sex, annual household income, study center, Hispanic/Latino background, smoking status, and other covariates. Results: A higher E-DII score was associated with current asthma (odds ratio [OR] for quartile 4 vs. 1, 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97–1.90) and asthma symptoms (OR for quartile 4 vs. 1, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.12–1.81). The AHEI-2010 score was not associated with current asthma or asthma symptoms. Among adults without asthma, a higher E-DII score was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC), and a higher AHEI-2010 score was associated with higher FEV₁ and FVC. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a proinflammatory diet increases the risk of asthma and asthma symptoms in Hispanic adults. An antiinflammatory diet (indicated by a lower E-DII or a higher AHEI-2010 score) may positively influence lung function in Hispanic adults without asthma.