The following is a summary of “Association of Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index With the Risk of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: Evidence From NHANES 2001–2018,” published in the April 2025 issue of International Journal of Endocrinology by Ding et al. 

Evidence regarding the associations of the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) with the risk of prevalence and mortality of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been limited.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the relationships between the CDAI and NAFLD using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).  

They included 19,404 individuals with a mean age of 50.10 years. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression compared individuals in the highest CDAI quartile to those in the lowest quartile, assessing the relationship between CDAI and NAFLD prevalence, showing a linear dose–response. Multivariate-adjusted Cox regression analyzed CDAI’s impact on cancer mortality in patients with NAFLD. A dose–response analysis evaluated the nonlinear association of CDAI with all-cause mortality in NAFLD. Stratified and sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of these associations.  

The results showed that individuals in the highest CDAI quartile were less likely to have NAFLD prevalence (odds ratio (OR): 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75–0.96), with a linear dose–response relationship. Multivariate-adjusted Cox regression revealed a reduced risk of cancer mortality in those with the highest CDAI quartile (hazard ratio (HR): 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37–0.99). Nonlinear associations were found between CDAI and all-cause mortality in patients with NAFLD. Stratified and sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of these associations.  

Investigators concluded that the CDAI was protective against both the prevalence and cancer mortality of NAFLD, suggesting it could be an important dietary strategy for prevention and improving prognosis. 

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/ije/3255533