Milkfat and chronic kidney disease in genetic study
What it found
Genes linked to milk fat content showed no clear link to chronic kidney disease risk in people of European ancestry.
The analysis used genetic data from large population studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Whole milk and CKD
Genes linked to whole milk fat content were not clearly linked to chronic kidney disease risk. The result was uncertain and could be due to chance.
Semi-skimmed milk and CKD
Genes linked to semi-skimmed milk fat content showed no clear link to chronic kidney disease risk. The result was uncertain and could be due to chance.
Skimmed milk and CKD
Genes linked to skimmed milk fat content showed no clear link to chronic kidney disease risk. The result was uncertain and could be due to chance.
Other analysis methods
Four other statistical methods gave similar results, with no clear link between milk fat content and chronic kidney disease risk.
Other findings
Genetic instruments
The genes used may reflect overall milk drinking habits or lactose tolerance rather than fat content specifically. This could affect how the results are interpreted.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that their analysis did not find significant genetic evidence for a causal link between milk fat content and chronic kidney disease in European populations.
- They say that further studies with larger samples and stronger genetic tools are needed.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if milk fat intake has a direct effect on chronic kidney disease, since previous studies had given mixed results and could be affected by other lifestyle factors.
They used genetic data from large studies of people of European ancestry: 360,806 people for milk fat content and 216,760 people for chronic kidney disease (3,920 cases and 212,841 controls). They compared genes linked to whole, semi-skimmed, and skimmed milk with kidney disease risk using a method that mimics a randomised trial.
What it can’t tell you
- The study only included people of European ancestry, so the results may not apply to other groups.
- The genetic markers used may not reflect actual milk fat intake, so the role of milk fat itself remains uncertain.
- The study could not test whether kidney disease affects milk consumption, only the reverse.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
- Authors work at
- the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China; the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China; Zibo Maternal and Child Health Hospital, China
The paper
- Title
- Assessing genetic causal relationship between milk fat content and chronic kidney disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Jin R, Han Y, Sun JY, et al (2025). Assessing genetic causal relationship between milk fat content and chronic kidney disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Renal failure. doi:10.1080/0886022X.2025.2542527Free full textPubMed 40775803DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error