A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Diet Quality and Advanced Periodontitis in Relation to Serum CRP Levels: An 11‐Year Follow‐Up Study
Authors: Syrjäläinen, Sanna; Männistö, Satu; Könönen, Eija; Suominen, Anna Liisa; Gürsoy, Ulvi Kahraman
Publisher: Wiley
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Food Science and Nutrition
Article number: e71762
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
eISSN: 2048-7177
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.71762
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.71762
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523060407
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
This study aimed to evaluate the combined association of diet and advanced periodontitis with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels at baseline and after 11 years. Study participants (n = 3058 at baseline and n = 3007 at follow-up) were drawn from the Finnish population-based Health 2000 and 2011 surveys. Baltic Sea Diet Score (BSDS), Dietary Inflammatory Index, and periodontal status were used as exposure variables, with hs-CRP serum levels as the outcome. Baseline CRP levels in participants, categorized into four groups according to exposure variables, were compared with the Kruskal–Wallis test. The association of dietary indices and advanced periodontitis with serum CRP levels after 11 years of follow-up was analyzed with linear regression. Participants with advanced periodontitis (at least one tooth with ≥ 6 mm pocket depth) had higher hs-CRP levels in serum at baseline, in comparison to controls. The concurrent exposure to low BSDS or proinflammatory diet and advanced periodontitis was not associated with further increase in serum CRP levels. At an 11-year follow-up, unadjusted regression models demonstrated associations between elevated CRP levels and advanced periodontitis (β = 0.19; 95% CI 0.08–0.31 and β = 0.20; 95% CI 0.09–0.31) or advanced periodontitis combined with low BSDS (β = 0.23; 95% CI 0.09–0.37) or proinflammatory diet (β = 0.18; 95% CI 0.02–0.34). The statistically significant differences disappeared after controlling for confounding factors. In conclusion, combined exposure to low BSDS or a proinflammatory diet and advanced periodontitis was not significantly associated with elevated hs-CRP levels compared to single risk factor exposure.
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Funding information in the publication:
Funding for Health 2000 and Health 2011 studies was coordinated by the National Public Health Institute/KTL (currently the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare/THL) through budgetary funds from the government and a grant from the Academy of Finland. Both studies also received funding from Finnish Centre for Pensions, the Local Government Pensions Institution, the UKK Institute, the Finnish Dental Association and the Finnish Dental Society, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and the Finnish Work Environment Fund. Health 2000 was also funded by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Statistics Finland, and the Occupational Safety and Health Fund of the State sector. Oral health examination in the Health 2000 Survey was partly funded by the Finnish Dental Association and the Finnish Dental Society Apollonia. Additionally, Health 2011 was funded by Minister of Social affairs and Health, and the Federation of Finnish Financial Services. S. Syrjäläinen received funding from the Minerva foundation (Finland), The Finnish Medical Foundation, and FINDOS-Turku doctoral program (Finland). E. Könönen received funding form the Academy of Finland.
