Association of the energy-adjusted children's dietary inflammatory index with hearing loss in school-aged children: A cross-sectional study of NHANES 2005-2020.

Authors

Lei Lei, Zhaoping He, Xiaoru Sun, Haiyang Wang, Jian Zou

Published in

American journal of otolaryngology. Volume 47. Issue 6. Pages 104963. Oct 07, 2026. Epub Oct 07, 2026.

Abstract

Hearing loss (HL) has been linked to a pro-inflammatory diet. This study evaluated the association between HL and the Energy-Adjusted Children's Dietary Inflammatory Index (EC-DII), a comprehensive inflammatory assessment of dietary nutrients in children.
This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for children aged 6 to 14 years who completed both audiometric testing and 24-h dietary assessments between 2005 and 2020. HL was defined as audiometric thresholds ≥16 dB on the pure-tone average of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz for speech frequency (SFHL) and 3, 4, and 6 kHz for high frequency (HFHL). EC-DII scores (Energy-adjusted per 1000 kcal to account for differences in total energy intake) were calculated for each participant and classified into quartile I-IV. The association was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models, with statistical significance reported as p-values, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
In adjusted regression analysis model, EC-DII scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of HFHL (OR = 1.16, CI = 1.06-1.27, p = 0.001) and SFHL (OR = 1.16, CI = 1.04-1.30, p = 0.009). EC-DII quartile IV, the highest level of dietary inflammation, was associated with an increased risk of HFHL (OR = 1.33; CI 1.09-1.6, p = 0.004) and SFHL (OR = 1.31, CI 1.06-1.63, p = 0.017).
The study demonstrated that higher EC-DII scores, as well as the highest dietary inflammatory level quartile IV, were significantly associated with HL. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, causal inferences and temporal relationships could not be established. Therefore, the potential contribution of a pro-inflammatory diet, as quantified by the EC-DII, to the development of HL in children requires further investigation through prospective cohort studies and well-designed clinical trials.

PMID:
42913183
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 24 Oct 2026.

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