Table 4.
Counterfactual mediation of diet quality (AHEI) in the association of educational level with obesity markers, menuCH, Switzerland, 2014–2015.
| Obesity Marker | MTE | NDE | NIE | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | % (95% CI) | |
| Body mass index | 3.36 (2.01, 5.66) | 2.84 (1.68, 4.94) | 1.18 (1.06, 1.36) | 22.1 (8.5, 41.6) |
| Waist circumference | 2.44 (1.58, 3.75) | 2.06 (1.34, 3.18) | 1.19 (1.07, 1.34) | 26.6 (11.4, 48.4) |
| Waist-to-hip ratio | 2.48 (1.63, 3.78) | 2.01 (1.35, 3.03) | 1.23 (1.10, 1.41) | 31.4 (16.1, 53.3) |
| Waist-to-height ratio | 2.04 (1.43, 2.96) | 1.67 (1.18, 2.39) | 1.22 (1.11, 1.39) | 35.8 (19.2, 63.4) |
AHEI, Alternate Healthy Eating Index; MTE, marginal total effects; NDE, natural direct effect; NIE, natural indirect effect; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for the total effect of the exposure on the outcome (MTE), for the effect of the exposure on the outcome via pathways that exclude the mediator (NDE); the effect of the exposure on the outcome via the mediator (NIE). PM, proportion of the association between educational level and obesity markers which is mediated by diet quality, estimated using the AHEI, adjusted for age, sex, physical activity, total energy intake, and smoking behavior.