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Singh M, Verhulst B, Vinh P, Zhou YD, Castro-de-Araujo LFS, Hottenga JJ, Pool R, de Geus EJC, Vink JM, Boomsma DI, Maes HHM, Dolan CV, Neale MC. Using Instrumental Variables to Measure Causation over Time in Cross-Lagged Panel Models. MULTIVARIATE BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH 2024; 59:342-370. [PMID: 38358370 PMCID: PMC11014768 DOI: 10.1080/00273171.2023.2283634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) are commonly used to estimate causal influences between two variables with repeated assessments. The lagged effects in a CLPM depend on the time interval between assessments, eventually becoming undetectable at longer intervals. To address this limitation, we incorporate instrumental variables (IVs) into the CLPM with two study waves and two variables. Doing so enables estimation of both the lagged (i.e., "distal") effects and the bidirectional cross-sectional (i.e., "proximal") effects at each wave. The distal effects reflect Granger-causal influences across time, which decay with increasing time intervals. The proximal effects capture causal influences that accrue over time and can help infer causality when the distal effects become undetectable at longer intervals. Significant proximal effects, with a negligible distal effect, would imply that the time interval is too long to estimate a lagged effect at that time interval using the standard CLPM. Through simulations and an empirical application, we demonstrate the impact of time intervals on causal inference in the CLPM and present modeling strategies to detect causal influences regardless of the time interval in a study. Furthermore, to motivate empirical applications of the proposed model, we highlight the utility and limitations of using genetic variables as IVs in large-scale panel studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhurbain Singh
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | - Brad Verhulst
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University
| | - Philip Vinh
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
| | - Yi Daniel Zhou
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University
| | | | - Jouke-Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
| | - René Pool
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
| | | | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
| | - Hermine H M Maes
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
| | - Conor V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute
| | - Michael C Neale
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University
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Blodgett JM, Norris T, Stamatakis E, O'Donovan G, Pinto Pereira SM, Hamer M. Prenatal and postnatal correlates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in midlife: evidence from the 1970 British Cohort Study. J Epidemiol Community Health 2022. [PMCID: PMC9554029 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2022-219213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Background It is hypothesised that lifelong physical activity behaviours are established in early life, however there is minimal, and contradictory, evidence examining prenatal and postnatal factors in relation to adulthood physical activity. We investigated associations between prospectively ascertained prenatal/postnatal factors and device-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in midlife. Methods Analyses included 5011 participants from the 1970 British Cohort Study, a birth cohort study of individuals born within the same week. At birth, the following factors were ascertained: socioeconomic position (SEP), maternal age, number of previous pregnancies, maternal smoking, maternal diabetes, gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding status and infant health concerns. MVPA was captured at age 46 with a thigh-worn accelerometer device following a 24-hour protocol over 7 days. Results In sex-adjusted models, lower SEP (−6.7 min/day (95% CI: −9.0 to –4.4) in those with a partly or unskilled paternal occupation), younger maternal age (0.4 min/day (0.2 to 0.5) per additional year of maternal age), maternal smoking during pregnancy (−2.5 min/day (−4.0 to –1.0)) and post-term gestational age (−7.4 min/day (−11.5 to –3.4); boys only) were associated with lower MVPA at age 46. In the mutually adjusted model, associations did not change but there was some evidence that birth weight may also be associated with MVPA levels. Conclusions SEP, maternal age, maternal smoking, post-term birth in boys and birth weight were associated with MVPA in midlife, indicating that midlife physical activity behaviours may be partially established at birth. Early interventions in disadvantaged environments may have a positive impact on physical activity throughout the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M Blodgett
- Institute of Sport Exercise & Health, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Norris
- Institute of Sport Exercise & Health, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emmanuel Stamatakis
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gary O'Donovan
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Snehal M Pinto Pereira
- Institute of Sport Exercise & Health, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Hamer
- Institute of Sport Exercise & Health, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
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Fridolfsson J, Buck C, Hunsberger M, Baran J, Lauria F, Molnar D, Moreno LA, Börjesson M, Lissner L, Arvidsson D. High-intensity activity is more strongly associated with metabolic health in children compared to sedentary time: a cross-sectional study of the I.Family cohort. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2021; 18:90. [PMID: 34229708 PMCID: PMC8261968 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-021-01156-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Physical activity (PA) during childhood is important for preventing future metabolic syndrome (MetS). To examine the relationship between PA and MetS in more detail, accurate measures of PA are needed. Previous studies have only utilized a small part of the information available from accelerometer measured PA. This study investigated the association between measured PA and MetS in children with a new method for data processing and analyses that enable more detailed interpretation of PA intensity level. Methods The association between PA pattern and risk factors related to MetS was investigated in a cross- sectional sample of children (n = 2592, mean age 10.9 years, 49.4% male) participating in the European multicenter I. Family study. The risk factors examined include body mass index, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin resistance and a combined risk factor score (MetS score). PA was measured by triaxial accelerometers and raw data was processed using the 10 Hz frequency extended method (FEM). The PA output was divided into an intensity spectrum and the association with MetS risk factors was analyzed by partial least squares regression. Results PA patterns differed between the European countries investigated, with Swedish children being most active and Italian children least active. Moderate intensity physical activity was associated with lower insulin resistance (R2 = 2.8%), while vigorous intensity physical activity was associated with lower body mass index (R2 = 3.6%), MetS score (R2 = 3.1%) and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (R2 = 2.3%). PA of all intensities was associated with lower systolic- and diastolic blood pressure, although the associations were weaker than for the other risk factors (R2 = 1.5% and R2 = 1.4%). However, the multivariate analysis implies that the entire PA pattern must be considered. The main difference in PA was observed between normal weight and overweight children. Conclusions The present study suggests a greater importance of more PA corresponding to an intensity of at least brisk walking with inclusion of high-intense exercise, rather than a limited time spent sedentary, in the association to metabolic health in children. The methods of data processing and statistical analysis enabled accurate analysis and interpretation of the health benefits of high intensity PA that have not been shown previously. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12966-021-01156-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan Fridolfsson
- Center for Health and Performance (CHP), Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, University of Gothenburg, Box 300, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Christoph Buck
- Department of Biometry and Data Management, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Monica Hunsberger
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joanna Baran
- Institute of Health Sciences, Medical College, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Fabio Lauria
- Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, ISA-CNR, Avellino, Italy
| | - Denes Molnar
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Luis A Moreno
- GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) research group, Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mats Börjesson
- Center for Health and Performance (CHP), Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Region of Western Sweden, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lauren Lissner
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel Arvidsson
- Center for Health and Performance (CHP), Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, University of Gothenburg, Box 300, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
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