The causal effects of leisure screen time on irritable bowel syndrome risk from a Mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Associations between leisure sedentary behavior (especially leisure screen time, LST) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been reported, but causality is unclear. Here, the two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the causal association between LST and IBS. Two recently published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) including a total of 1,190,502 people from Europe were used as our data source. Inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.120, 95% CI 1.029–1.219) and weighted median (OR = 1.112, 95% CI 1.000–1.236) analyses revealed a causal effect between LST and IBS. There was no evidence of pleiotropy in the sensitive analysis (MR-Egger, p = 0.139). After removing potentially confounding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), similar results were found using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.131, 95% CI 1.025–1.248) and weighted median (OR = 1.151, 95% CI 1.020–1.299), as well as in the validation analyses using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.287, 95% CI 0.996–1.662). This study provided support for a possible causal relationship between leisure screen time and IBS.

Mendelian randomisation analysis for intestinal disease: achievement and future

“…Arriving at the same conclusion, physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer, 13 21 25 26 whereas leisure screen time was associated with increased irritable bowel syndrome risk. 27 MR studies have evaluated the causal effects of singlefood intake on the risk of multiple intestinal diseases. Consistent with observational studies, milk intake has been linked to a reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease.…”