Background <p>Common chronic inflammatory condition known as allergic rhinitis(AR) has a major negative influence on people’s health and puts a heavy strain on the world’s healthcare systems. Despite the significant incidence of AR. This study aims to assess the potential link between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and the risk of developing AR.</p> Methods <p>This study involved the analysis of data from 3,938 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in 2005–2006. The DII score was used to evaluate the inflammatory potential of the participants’ diets, and Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between DII (in tertiles) and having AR, adjusting for potential confounders. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex and Body Mass Index (BMI) were conducted to evaluate effect modification.</p> Results <p>Our study demonstrated a positive correlation between the DII and the odds of AR prevalence. After adjusting for potential confounders, compared to individuals in the lowest tertile, those in the highest DII tertile had a 34% higher odds of AR prevalence.(OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.09–1.65). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis revealed a significant interaction (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05 for interaction) when stratified by sex and BMI.</p> Conclusion <p>These results show that a higher DII score corresponds to the odds of AR prevalence, emphasizing the possible reduction of AR risk that can be achieved by eating a diet strong in anti-inflammatory nutrients and low in pro-inflammatory foods. This study emphasizes the role that dietary choices play in managing the risk of developing AR.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>