Determinants of Pancreatic Size and Fat Content in the UK Biobank: Influence of Race, Genetic Variants, and Risk Factors
Errata to this article were published (J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 18 Nov 2025 ↗ · 17 Mar 2026 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
These findings highlight contributions of race, genetics, and behaviors to pancreatic morphology and fat deposition in glycemic dysregulation.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants with pancreas imaging data
- Participants
- 37,163 participants
- Exposure
- Race, genetic risk, glycaemic status and lifestyle factors vs pancreas volume and fat
- Outcome
- Pancreas volume index (PVI) and pancreatic fat fraction (PFF)
Methodological detailsUK Biobank
- UK Biobank
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Pancreatic fat fraction (PFF) was highest in White participants
- Similar trends in participants with diagnosed diabetes
- White vs Asian: P < 0.0001
- White vs Black: P < 0.01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prior HbA1c (4–14 years before imaging)
- White and Asian participants had significantly lower pancreas volume index (PVI) and higher PFF with increased HbA1c
Polygenic risk scores and PVI
- T2D polygenic risk vs PVI, ρ
- −0.07, P < .0001
- HbA1c polygenic risk vs PVI, ρ
- −0.14, P < .0001
Polygenic risk scores and PFF
- T2D polygenic risk vs PFF, ρ
- 0.07, P < .0001
- HbA1c polygenic risk vs PFF, ρ
- 0.18, P < .0001
- T1D polygenic risk showed no significant association with any pancreas measures
Sedentary lifestyle behaviours · 4 to 14 years later
- Sedentary behaviours at baseline correlated with smaller PVI and increased pancreas fat
Original publication
Determinants of Pancreatic Size and Fat Content in the UK Biobank: Influence of Race, Genetic Variants, and Risk Factors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 19 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →