This contrasts previous studies that found that the association between the DII and cardiovascular disease and interleukin-6 was stronger or only significant in participants with overweight or obesity but not in participants with normal weight.22,23 The differences in the results may suggest that obesity plays a role as an effect modifier of the association between dietary inflammation and cardiovascular disease but not in the association between dietary inflammation and T2DM. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.