Associations between dietary intake and pancreatic disease: a Mendelian randomization study

Pancreatic diseases, including acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer, pose significant health challenges. The role of diet in these diseases is not well understood due to confounding factors in observational studies.

This study aims to clarify the causal relationships between dietary intake and pancreatic diseases using Mendelian randomization (MR).

A two-sample MR approach was employed, utilizing genetic data from the UK Biobank for dietary exposures and the FinnGen consortium for pancreatic disease outcomes. Genetic variants were selected as instrumental variables to assess the impact of 26 dietary components on acute and chronic pancreatitis, as well as pancreatic cancer. Meta-analyses were performed to validate findings across datasets, and multivariable MR (MVMR) analyses assessed the independent effects of dietary factors.

The analysis revealed that dried fruit intake was protective against both acute (OR = 0.396, P = 0.028) and chronic pancreatitis (OR = 0.289, P < 0.001). Conversely, red wine (OR = 1.559, P = 0.039) and bread (OR = 2.244, P = 0.044) were linked to increased acute pancreatitis risk. Pork was associated with chronic pancreatitis (OR = 3.652, P = 0.048), while oily fish intake correlated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.699, P = 0.046). Meta-analyses confirmed dried fruit protective association with acute pancreatitis. MVMR analyses indicated independent causal relationships between dried fruit and both acute and chronic pancreatitis.

This study showed the protective effects of dried fruit and salad/raw vegetables against pancreatic diseases, while red wine, bread, and pork may elevate risk. Dietary modifications could serve as effective preventive strategies, warranting further exploration of underlying mechanisms.