Long-term impact of newly-proposed clinical obesity on autoimmune disease incidence: insights from the UK Biobank
Authors' conclusion
Clinical obesity was significantly associated with elevated ADs incidence risk. These findings underscore the importance of early screening and intervention of clinical obesity and dysfunctions due to obesity.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants categorised into six clusters by obesity and dysfunction status; clinical obesity diagnosed by obesity-caused dysfunctions combined with anthropometric parameters4,938 AD events
- Participants
- 229,190 participants
- Exposure
- Clusters by obesity and dysfunction status vs Cluster 1
- Outcome
- Incidence of 7 autoimmune diseases (ADs): seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), myasthenia gravis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis
- Follow-up
- Mean 13.3 years
Methodological detailsUK Biobank, time-dependent Cox model, multivariable-adjusted
- UK Biobank
- Time-dependent Cox model
- Multivariable-adjusted
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident autoimmune diseases (ADs)
Each group vs cluster 1Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Cluster 3
2.16(1.83–2.55)
- Cluster 6 · CI not legible as printed
- HR 2.48
- Total ADs incidence events
- 4938
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Psoriasis incidenceCluster 6vs Cluster 1 | 4.31 (3.58–5.19) | |
| Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis incidenceCluster 6vs Cluster 1 | 3.63 (2.54–5.18) | |
| 0.20.5125Hazard ratio (log scale) |
Specific ADs
- Consistently higher incidence risks in Cluster 6
Original publication
Long-term impact of newly-proposed clinical obesity on autoimmune disease incidence: insights from the UK Biobank. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 2 December 2025. doi:10.
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