Association between the dietary index for gut microbiota and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk among US elderly adults: a cross‑sectional study

BACKGROUND: Gut microbes are important for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and the dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM), a new measure of gut flora-friendly diets, has not been systematically investigated in relation to ASCVD. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between DI-GM and the risk of ASCVD in American older adults, also to analyze the mediating role of body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Researchers selected 2234 elderly participants ≥ 65 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2018 for a cross-sectional cohort study. Stratified analyses were taken based on DI-GM quartile. To achieve our research objectives, we employed logistic regression analysis, smooth curve fitting, interaction effects analysis, and mediation analysis. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, individuals with higher DI-GM had a significantly lower risk of ASCVD (highest quartile vs. lowest quartile OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.52-1.01, P < 0.001). DI-GM was linearly negatively associated with ASCVD (P = 0.13) and the association was stable in the diabetes subgroup (interaction P > 0.05), but age, gender and BMI may modify the association between DI-GM and ASCVD (interaction P < 0.05). BMI mediated 11.51% of the association between DI-GM and ASCVD (95% CI: 2.54%-54.1%, P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: DI-GM is likely to be a promising indicator for the assessment of the risk of ASCVD, with BMI exhibiting a partial mediating effect in this association. Future studies should prioritize a comprehensive investigation of the underlying mechanisms by which DI-GM contributes to atherogenesis, with the aim of enhancing the efficacy of early prevention strategies for ASCVD.