Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42155512›Full record

SynthesisObesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity2026

The Causal Role of Adiposity in Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Mendelian Randomization Studies.

Min Gao, Paul J Doody, Dimitrios A Koutoukidis, Yebo Yu, Paul Aveyard, Richard Stevens, Padraig C Dixon

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. The Causal Role of Adiposity in Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Mendelian Randomization Studies.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Min GaoNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6196-7088
Paul J DoodyNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Dimitrios A KoutoukidisNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1955-7234
Yebo YuSchool of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China.
Paul AveyardNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Richard StevensNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Padraig C DixonNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Funding

NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames ValleyNIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to examine the causal effect of adiposity on mental illnesses by summarizing and assessing evidence from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies.

methodSearches were conducted on Embase, Medline, and Web of Science from database inception to September 22nd, 2025. Studies using MR study designs that estimated adiposity measures including body mass index, abdominal adiposity, peripheral adiposity, or body composition in relation to mental illnesses were included. Outcomes were the presence or severity of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and related psychotic disorders. Study quality was assessed with a scoring system reflecting MR study guidelines. Data were pooled in meta-analyses using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex.

resultsFifty-seven studies with 215 MR estimates were included in the systematic review, and 23 studies with 44 MR estimates were included in meta-analyses. Pooled estimates suggested that general adiposity was causally associated with depression (OR: 1.09, 95% CI, 1.02-1.15, p < 0.001; I CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: General adiposity appears to be causally associated with depression, suggesting psychological benefits of weight management. Evidence for causal associations between adiposity and other mental illnesses remains suggestive or uncertain.

Indexed as

AdiposityMental DisordersObesityHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisadipositycausalityMendelian randomizationmental illness

Identifiers

PMID42155512
PMCPMC13749290

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.