Anti-Inflammatory Diet Score Calculator
Chronic low-grade inflammation underlies many modern diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and neurodegenerative conditions. Research consistently shows that dietary patterns strongly influence inflammatory biomarkers. This tool uses a simplified dietary assessment inspired by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (Shivappa et al., 2014) to give you a snapshot of how pro- or anti-inflammatory your typical weekly diet is. Rate your average weekly consumption of key food groups and habits. Higher scores indicate a more anti-inflammatory dietary pattern. Note: this is an educational estimate only, not a clinical test.
Anti-inflammatory diet scoring method
Score = sum of individual food/habit weights (range approx -5 to +20)
Anti-inflammatory foods score positive; pro-inflammatory score negative.
Based on DII concept (Shivappa et al. 2014, published in Public Health Nutrition)
Anti-inflammatory diet: frequently asked questions
What is the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)?
The Dietary Inflammatory Index is a scoring tool developed by researchers at the University of South Carolina (Shivappa et al. 2014) to characterise the inflammatory potential of a person's diet. It rates individual foods and nutrients as pro-inflammatory, neutral, or anti-inflammatory based on their known effects on inflammatory biomarkers. Higher DII scores correlate with higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6.
Which foods are most anti-inflammatory?
Consistently anti-inflammatory foods include: fatty fish (omega-3), extra-virgin olive oil (oleocanthal), berries (anthocyanins), leafy green vegetables (vitamins C and E), turmeric (curcumin), ginger (gingerols), nuts especially walnuts, and green tea (catechins). Whole grains, legumes, and colourful vegetables also score well. These foods consistently lower inflammatory markers in research studies.
Which foods are most pro-inflammatory?
Foods consistently associated with higher inflammation include: processed meats (nitrates, saturated fat), refined carbohydrates and added sugar (spikes insulin and AGEs), fried foods (trans fats, AGEs), alcohol in excess, vegetable oils high in omega-6 (corn, soybean), and ultra-processed packaged foods. Excess sodium and low fibre intake also contribute to pro-inflammatory patterns.
Can diet reduce chronic inflammation?
Yes. Clinical trials and large prospective studies show that dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet consistently reduce circulating inflammatory biomarkers. The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Reducing processed meat and sugar while increasing vegetables, fish, and olive oil reduces inflammation even within weeks in some studies.
How does this score relate to disease risk?
Higher dietary inflammatory scores are associated in epidemiological studies with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, depression, and cognitive decline. This is a population-level association. An individual's inflammatory status also depends on physical activity, sleep, stress, body weight, smoking, and genetics. This tool provides a rough educational estimate, not a clinical assessment.
Official sources
- NIH National Library of Medicine: Designing and Developing the Dietary Inflammatory Index (Shivappa et al. 2014).
- USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.