The Inflammatory Potential of Diet and Mental Health in Adult Women from Sinaloa: An Analysis of Specific Components of the Dietary Inflammatory Index

Abstract

Introduction: Diet can modulate systemic inflammation, a factor implicated in mental health. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) quantifies this potential. The objective was to evaluate the correlation between the DII (global and components) and mental health in Mexican women.

Methods: A pilot, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with 34 women (18–45 years) from Culiacán, Sinaloa. Diet was assessed using three 24-hour recalls to calculate the DII. Mental health was measured using the DASS-21 scale. Correlations were determined using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The sample's diet was markedly pro-inflammatory (Median global DII: +4.1; Interquartile range: 3.4–4.7). No significant correlation was found between the global DII and depression, anxiety, or stress scores (p > 0.05). Specific component analysis showed that the pro-inflammatory DII score for omega-6 fatty acids correlated with higher anxiety (r = 0.611; p = 0.0001), and the DII score for trans fats correlated positively with greater depression (r = 0.372; p = 0.030). A positive DII score for omega-3 fatty acids (indicative of deficiency) correlated with higher anxiety (r = 0.425; p = 0.012). Conclusion: In this sample with a pro-inflammatory baseline diet, the global DII was not a predictor of mental health. However, a fatty acid imbalance (high omega-6, high trans, and low omega-3) correlated significantly with greater symptoms of anxiety and stress. These preliminary findings suggest that the type and balance of dietary lipids may be modulators of mental health.