Behavioural and metabolic mediators of socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes: comparing counterfactual and traditional mediation analysis.

ABSTRACT: There is a well-established social gradient in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, but the extent to which behavioural or metabolic risk factors explain these inequalities remains unclear. Leveraging data from 7123 adults and over 20 years of follow-up, we used counterfactual mediation analysis to estimate the direct effect of low socioeconomic status (measured as educational attainment and occupational class) on the risk of type 2 diabetes, and the indirect effect through behavioural and metabolic risk factors. Mediators included were smoking, high alcohol consumption, low physical activity, diet low in vegetables or fruits, high body mass index (BMI), high fasting glucose, and hypertension. We compared the results to mediation analysis using the difference and the product of coefficients

SUBMITTER: Yacaman Mendez D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12311358 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature