A Cross-Sectional Study of Dietary Patterns and Helicobacter pylori Infection Among American Indian Adults in the Southwest.

High sodium diets have been shown to promote stomach colonization and the induction of tissue damage by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a risk factor for gastric cancer. Among American Indians in the Southwest, where the H. pylori prevalence is 60%, the association between diet and H. pylori infection has not been studied. We conducted a cross-sectional pilot study with 93 adults (51%, 18-44 years, 73% female) in the Navajo Nation to assess their diet with self-administered food questionnaires and to detect H. pylori from stool samples using droplet digital PCR. Three diet patterns were identified using Principal Component Analysis: 1) Western, 2) Soups and Mixed Dishes, and 3) Fruits and Vegetables. Participants in the highest and middle tertiles of the Soups and Mixed Dishes pattern scores had higher odds of having H. pylori (ORHighest=5.59, 95% CI, 1.50-23.70; ORMiddle=3.48, 95% CI, 1.08-12.32) than those in the lowest tertile. This positive association may be linked to the sodium content of foods in this diet pattern. Soups and Mixed Dishes may contribute to H. pylori infection and may be incorporated in nutrition education for individuals positive for H. pylori infection in the Navajo Nation.