Role of leisure sedentary behavior on type 2 diabetes and glycemic homeostasis: a Mendelian randomization analysis

Utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the impact of leisure sedentary behavior (LSB) on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and glycemic homeostasis impairment, as well as to identify potential mediating pathways involved in these associations.

We chose genetic variants linked to LSB from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) to use as instrumental variables (IVs). Then, we used a two-sample MR study to investigate the link between LSB and T2D and glycemic homeostasis. Multivariate MR (MVMR) and mediation analysis were also used to look at possible mediating paths.

MR analysis showed a genetical link between leisure TV watching and T2D (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.39-1.93, P< 0.001) and impaired Glycemic Homeostasis, while leisure computer use seemed to protect against T2D prevalence (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.84, P< 0.001). It was found that leisure TV watching increases the risk of T2D through higher BMI (mediation effect 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.35, P< 0.001), higher triglycerides (mediation effect 0.07, 95% CI 0.04-0.11, P< 0.001), and less education (mediation effect 0.16, 95% CI 0.08-0.24, P< 0.001). Sensitivity and heterogeneity analyses further substantiated the robustness of these findings. Reverse MR analysis did not yield significant results.

This study shows LSB is linked to a higher rate of T2D and impaired glycemic homeostasis through obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, and reduced educational attainment.