Using Mendelian randomization to investigate a possible causal relationship between adiposity and increased bone mineral density at different skeletal sites in children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lean mass is positively associated with bone mineral density (BMD). However, the relationship between adiposity and BMD is more controversial. In particular, it is unclear if the observational association between the two reflects a causal effect of fat mass on BMD. Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies using variants in the FTO and MC4R genes as genetic instruments for adiposity have suggested that fat mass does indeed causally influence BMD. However, it is possible that these genetic variants pleiotropically influence lean mass and affect BMD through pathways independent of adiposity, invalidating one of the core assumptions of MR and complicating interpretation of the analysis.

Methods

To investigate whether adiposity causally affects BMD, we investigate

SUBMITTER: Kemp JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5100609 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature