Higher Body Mass Index Is a Causal Risk Factor for Skin Infections: A Mendelian Randomisation Study Using UK Biobank and FinnGen
Authors' conclusion
Mendelian randomisation provides strong evidence that higher BMI is a causal risk factor for bacterial and fungal skin infections.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants (N = 230,542 with linked GP records) and FinnGen; common infections (skin, respiratory, urogenital) in primary care and hospital admissionsUK Biobank · FinnGen 500,348
- Participants
- 502,131 participants
- Comparison
- Genetically predicted higher BMI
- Outcome
- Causal effect of BMI on common bacterial, viral and fungal infections
Methodological detailsone-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR), two-sample MR, UK Biobank and FinnGen
- One-sample MR
- Two-sample MR
- UK Biobank and FinnGen
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Skin infections, one-sample MR, per 5 kg/m² increase in BMI
- Bacterial skin infection in primary care, OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.24-1.53), p < 0.001
- Fungal skin infection in primary care, OR 1.34 (95% CI 1.18-1.53), p < 0.001
- Hospitalisation with bacterial skin infection, OR 1.93 (95% CI 1.71-2.19), p < 0.001
- Hospitalisation with fungal skin infection, OR 2.81 (95% CI 1.58-4.97), p < 0.001
Further findings
Observational associations
- Higher BMI was observationally associated with all infection types
Two-sample MR (FinnGen)
- Further evidence of a causal effect that is robust to pleiotropy
Respiratory infections
- Estimated causal effect of higher BMI on some respiratory infections may be biased by pleiotropy
Original publication
Higher Body Mass Index Is a Causal Risk Factor for Skin Infections: A Mendelian Randomisation Study Using UK Biobank and FinnGen. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 20 April 2026. doi:10.
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