The Effect of BMI and Type 2 Diabetes on Socioeconomic Status: A Two-Sample Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To assess the independent causal effect of BMI and type 2 diabetes (T2D) on socioeconomic (社会经济的) outcomes by applying two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed univariable (单变量) and multivariable two-sample MR to jointly (共同的) assess the effect BMI and T2D on socioeconomic outcomes. We used overlapping genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms for BMI and T2D as instrumental variables. Their causal impact on household income and regional deprivation (剥夺，贫困) was assessed using summary-level data from the UK Biobank.

RESULTS In the univariable analysis, higher BMI was related to lower income (marginal effect (边际效应) of 1-SD increase in BMI [β = −0.092; 95% CI −0.138; −0.047]) and higher deprivation (β = 0.051; 95% CI 0.022; 0.079). In the multivariable MR, the effect of BMI controlling for diabetes was slightly lower for income and deprivation. Diabetes was not associated with these outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS High BMI, but not diabetes, shows a causal link with socioeconomic outcomes.

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