Background: Chronic inflammation can lead to the development of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. One of the factors causing inflammation is diet. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet, expressed by the DII index, in young physically active men. Methods: A total of 94 physically active students aged 19–23 participated in the study. The subjects’ diets were assessed on the basis of 4-day dietary records, which were then analyzed using the computer program “Diet 5.0”. The DII was calculated for each participant based on the individual consumption of the selected dietary components. The concentration of CRP protein was also determined. Results: Participants was divided into groups according to values of DII. Diets with different DIIs provided similar amounts of calories, but differed significantly in the content of many nutrients. Participants whose diets showed the most anti-inflammatory effects consumed significantly more protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, antioxidant vitamins, and B vitamins compared to others. The highest concentration of CRP protein was observed in men whose diet was described as the most pro-inflammatory (Q4 group). A significant relationship was found between DII and body fat (%) in men in the most anti-inflammatory (Q1 group) and neutral diet (Q2–Q3 group). Conclusions: The Dietary Inflammatory Index is a promising method of describing the effect of dietary intake on the risk of inflammation in young, healthy individuals engaging in regular physical activity.

Recently, special attention has been paid to the relationship between diet and inflammation in the body. A factor that influences both diet and inflammation is physical activity. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the diets of young people engaging in regular physical activity. The participants were physical education students (n = 141 men and n = 151 women). The measurements included basic anthropometric parameters and a 4-day nutritional history from which the dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated. The average DII for female students was 2.09 ± 1.52, and that for male students was 0.21 ± 1.69. Consumption of all macro- and micronutrients was significantly higher among women and men with the lowest DII value (corresponding to an anti-inflammatory diet). The female and male students consuming anti-inflammatory diets were characterized by greater lean body mass (LBM), and, for the male students, a lower body fat content, compared to those whose diets were pro-inflammatory. Young and regularly physically active people are also exposed to the pro-inflammatory nature of their diets, whose long-term effects may lead to health problems.

Systemic inflammation is influenced by regular physical activity and diet. While moderate exercise can transiently alter inflammatory markers, high-intensity activity may increase muscle turnover without substantially elevating systemic inflammation. The combined effects of physical activity and dietary inflammatory potential in healthy young men remain poorly defined. In this cross-sectional observational study, 233 healthy men aged 18–30 years were categorized according to physical activity level: low (NA, n = 52), moderate (A, n = 93), and high (S, n = 88). Anthropometry and body composition were assessed using bioelectrical impedance. Dietary intake was recorded over 4 days and used to calculate the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for complete blood counts, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and creatine kinase (CK). Differences between groups were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn’s post hoc correction, and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to explore multivariate inflammatory patterns. The highest BMI, fat percentage, and DII were observed in low-activity men, whereas fat-free mass and CK activity were greatest in highly active men. Slightly higher systemic inflammatory markers (hs-CRP and SAA) were observed in moderately active men compared to other groups. PCA revealed two principal axes: PC1 representing systemic inflammation and PC2 representing leukocyte distribution. Weak associations were found between DII and these components, indicating a limited link between dietary inflammatory potential and circulating inflammatory biomarkers. Body composition is strongly influenced by physical activity, with high activity promoting lean mass and moderate activity associated with modest elevations in inflammatory markers. Dietary inflammatory potential was only weakly associated with systemic inflammation, suggesting that exercise-induced physiological stress may play a more prominent role in shaping inflammatory profiles in healthy young men.