Interactions of Dietary Patterns, Systemic Inflammation, and Bone Health

Examination of combinations of foods, as described by dietary patterns in relation to health indices, may be an important approach to further our understanding of chronic disease prevention. Bone loss is a common factor in many chronic inflammatory conditions, although it is unclear whether low-grade systemic inflammation may have similar long-term effects. In this chapter we summarize current evidence relating dietary patterns and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation to bone health. Consideration is then given to potential mechanisms whereby dietary eating patterns may affect inflammatory status. Dietary patterns rich in fruits and vegetables consistently appear to have a protective effect on bone mineral density, likely due to their abundance of micronutrients, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Current evidence relating low-grade systemic inflammation to indices of bone health is limited and contradictory, although modification of dietary eating habits (increasing intakes of plant-based foods and reducing the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio) may be important in the management of chronic inflammatory status. Longitudinal studies assessing dietary patterns in relation to bone mineral density/fracture incidence and biomarkers of inflammation could further our understanding of these complex interactions.