ABSTRACT Obesity, a complex disease that involves energy imbalance and chronic low-grade inflammation, is implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic non-communicable diseases. As dietary components modulate the human body's inflammatory status, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®), a literature-derived dietary index, was developed in 2009 to characterize the inflammatory potential of a habitual diet. Abundant research has been conducted to investigate the associations between DII and obesity. In this narrative review, we examined the current state of the science regarding the relationships between DII and the inflammatory pathophysiological aspects related to obesity. DII is associated with inflammation in obesity. The most pro-inflammatory diet was directly related to higher levels of pro-inflammatory markers, which included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Therefore, evidence suggests that the use of the DII may be useful for understanding the relationship between diet and the inflammatory process related to obesity.

Abstract Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) is a native fruit of the Brazilian Savannah that can be used in the food industry and may contribute to the economy of the Brazilian Midwest. The proximate composition, the phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of the peel, pulp and raw and roasted baru almond were examined and compared. Peel showed higher concentrations of dietary fibers (24.1 g/100 g) followed by pulp and roasted almond (18 g/100 g and 16 g/100 g, respectively), and raw almond (12.0 g/100 g). However, the almonds presented the highest lipid and protein concentrations compared to baru peel and pulp. In addition, raw almond showed the highest total phenolic contents (1,107.0 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity, but the roasted almond, and baru peel with its pulp, also presented high phenolic contents. The correlation coefficients between phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (via ABTS and FRAP) were strong and significant. The chemical composition of baru peel has not previously been reported. The results showed promising prospects for the consumption of baru pulp with its peel, the fruit component richest in fiber, whose phenolic content and antioxidant capacity are comparable to those of the baru almond.