The associations between elevated GDF-15 and the increased risks of outcomes were also limited in the range under 21 kg/m2 of BMI (all-cause death, HR 3.65, 95%CI 1.63–8.21, p = 0.002; cancer death HR 4.86, 95%CI 1.38–17.14, p = 0.014; and CV death, HR 18.35, 95%CI 2.24–150.1, p = 0.007, relative to the reference group with non-elevated GDF-15, respectively). The gene discussed is GDF15; the disease is cancer.