Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis evaluates causal associations between dietary habits and rectal polyps

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Gastroenterology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Rectal polyps are a common precancerous condition.
• Dietary habits are suspected to influence polyp development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal link between genetically predicted dietary habits and rectal polyp risk.
• To explore the influence of specific food intakes on colorectal neoplasia development.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) with genome-wide association study (GWAS) data.
• Employed Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) and other MR methods for robust analysis.
• Conducted sensitivity analyses including MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO to ensure result validity.

Main Results:

• A significant inverse association was found between processed meat intake and rectal polyp risk (OR = 0.9945, p = 0.045).
• No significant causal associations were detected for other dietary habits.
• Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings, with no significant pleiotropy or outliers identified.

Conclusions:

• Processed meat consumption may have a causal effect on rectal polyp risk.
• Dietary factors play a crucial role in the development of precancerous rectal conditions.
• Further research is needed to confirm these findings and understand underlying biological mechanisms.