Dietary Inflammatory Index in Ageing and Longevity

Ageing, inflammation and diet represent three interrelated risk factors responsible for the development and worsening of a several diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. Specifically, both ageing and diet are able to influence the inflammatory status of the organism through the so-called “inflamm-ageing” and “metaflammation” processes, creating a constant low-grade chronic and systemic inflammation responsible for several molecular alterations. To establish how diet is able to promote inflammatory processes and consequently influence the development and progression of several diseases and pathophysiological conditions, including ageing and longevity, in recent years, a meter of the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory power of foods, called “Dietary Inflammatory Index” (DII), has been developed. This chapter discusses how the DII is a powerful instrument to accurately establish the relative risk of developing cardiovascular, metabolic and oncological diseases, taking into account not only the inflammatory power of foods but also the coadjuvant pathogenetic role of ageing in favouring the development of these pathologies. Furthermore, it is also emphasized how DII may influence longevity and healthy ageing. The comprehensive analysis of the role of inflammation, diet, ageing and longevity and DII in several diseases proposed in this chapter can provide useful information to predict the risk of occurrence of specific diseases.