The dietary inflammatory index (DII) has been shown to be related to several chronic diseases. The objective of the current study was to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the risk of pancreatic steatosis.

This case-control study was conducted on 278 patients diagnosed with common bile duct (CBD) stones. 89 patients were diagnosed with pancreatic steatosis (case group) based on an endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) examination, whereas the remaining 189 patients were healthy in this regard (control group). Dietary inflammatory index (DII) was evaluated according to a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Crude and multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multiple logistic regression models.

Compared to the control group, the case group showed significantly higher dietary inflammatory scores. Higher DII scores were significantly linked to an increased risk of FP according to logistic regression analysis in both crude and adjusted models. In the final adjusted model, higher scores of DII (OR T2 versus T1 = 1.36; 95% CI 0.71–2.58, and OR T3 versus T1 = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.59–6.8; P for trend = 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of developing FP.

Our results demonstrated that diet-induced inflammation was correlated with an elevated risk of developing fatty pancreas. Further multi-center prospective studies are required to corroborate this association.