The association of fruits, vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and fibre intake with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: sex and body mass index interactions.

OBJECTIVE: To study the associations of fruits, vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and fibre intake with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Existing literature on these associations is scarce and has rendered conflicting results.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 1060 individuals (675 women, 385 men), representative of the non-institutionalized population, aged >or=18 years, in Porto, Portugal (70% participation rate). Diet over the previous year was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Associations between diet and hs-CRP (categorized into <1, 1-3, >3 to or=25.0 kg/m(2)), fibre was also negatively associated with hs-CRP. In women, no significant associations were found between dietary variables and hs-CRP. A significant modification effect of the evaluated associations was found by sex for fruits and vegetables, vitamin C and fibre, but not by BMI.

CONCLUSION: Intake of fruits and vegetables, vitamin C, E and fibre were negatively associated with hs-CRP in men.