Exploring the Causal Relationships Between Anxiety, Obesity, and Hypertension: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Mental Health
• Metabolic Disorders

Background:

• Anxiety and obesity are linked to hypertension development.
• Metabolic factors may mediate the relationship between anxiety and hypertension.
• The causal pathways among anxiety, obesity, and hypertension require elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationships between anxiety, obesity, and hypertension.
• To determine if obesity mediates the association between anxiety and hypertension.
• To utilize a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach for causal inference.

Main Methods:

• Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using GWAS summary statistics.
• Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary analysis.
• Sensitivity analyses and two-step MR for mediation analysis.

Main Results:

• Anxiety and obesity showed significant causal effects on hypertension risk.
• A unidirectional causal link was found between anxiety and obesity.
• Obesity mediated 17.4% of the causal effect of anxiety on hypertension.

Conclusions:

• Confirmed a causal relationship between anxiety and hypertension.
• Obesity partially mediates the anxiety-hypertension link.
• Weight management interventions are recommended for hypertension prevention in anxious individuals.