Two-sample MR analysis revealed that elevated levels of GDF-15 are associated with an increased risk of NAFLD (OR = 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.30; p=0.017), and replication analysis further confirmed the stability of these findings (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.01–1.20; p=0.037). The gene discussed is GDF15; the disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.