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The causal association between body fat distribution and risk of abdominal wall hernia: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

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Abstract

Purpose

Obesity and a high body mass index (BMI) are considered as risk factors for abdominal wall hernia (AWH). However, anthropometric measures of body fat distribution (BFD) seem to be better indicators in the hernia field. This Mendelian randomization analysis aimed to generate more robust evidence for the impact of waist circumstance (WC), body, trunk, arm, and leg fat percentages (BFP, TFP, AFP, LFP) on AWH.

Methods

A univariable MR design was employed and the summary statistics allowing for assessment were obtained from the genome-wide association studies (GWASs). An inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was applied as the primary analysis, and the odds ratio value was used to evaluate the causal relationship between BFD and AWH.

Results

None of the MR-Egger regression intercepts deviated from null, indicating no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy (p > 0.05). The Cochran Q test showed heterogeneity between the genetic IVs for WC (p = 0.005; p = 0.005), TFP (p < 0.001; p < 0.001), AFP-L (p = 0.016; p = 0.015), LFP-R (p = 0.012; p = 0.009), and LFP-L (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Taking the IVW random-effects model as gold standard, each standard deviation increment in genetically determined WC, BFP, TFP, AFP-R, AFP-L, LFP-R, and LFP-L raised the risk of AWH by 70.9%, 70.7%, 56.5%, 69.7%, 78.3%, 87.7%, and 72.5%, respectively.

Conclusions

This study proves the causal relationship between AWH and BFD, attracting more attention from BMI to BFD. It provides evidence-based medical evidence that healthy figure management can prevent AWH.

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Data availability

The data used to support the findings of this study are included within the article.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Medical Science and Technology Development Foundation, Nanjing Municipality Health Bureau (ZKX18052).

Funding

Medical Science and Technology Development Foundation, Nanjing Municipality Health Bureau (ZKX18052).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Y. Xv, Q. Tao & Z. Ji

  2. Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Q. Tao & Z. Ji

  3. Department of General Surgery, Lishui People’s Hospital, 86 Chongwen Road, Yongyang Street, Nanjing, 211200, China

    N. Cao & Z. Ji

  4. Department of General Surgery, Pukou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 18 Gongyuan North Road, Jiangpu Street, Nanjing, 210000, China

    R. Wu

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  1. Y. Xv
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  4. R. Wu
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Contributions

Y Xv, Q Tao, and Z Ji contributed to conception and design; Y Xv, R Wu, N Cao, and Q Tao contributed to literature search, acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; Y Xv, Q Tao, and Z Ji are responsible for drafting and revising the manuscript; all authors affirm final approval of the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Q. Tao or Z. Ji.

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All authors declare there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval, Human and animal rights, and Informed consent

This study used publicly available GWAS summary data and there was no original data collected. Therefore, no ethical committee approval was required.

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Xv, Y., Tao, Q., Cao, N. et al. The causal association between body fat distribution and risk of abdominal wall hernia: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Hernia 28, 599–606 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-023-02954-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-023-02954-1

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