Thio CHL, et al. - Using data from 6,078 volunteers of the community-based Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study, researchers investigated the association of low education with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) and change in kidney function; they also assessed potential mediators of this link by using Cox regression and linear mixed models and exploratory causal mediation analyses. Study participants were followed-up for approximately 11 years, during which time the investigators assessed kidney function via estimating glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) at five examinations. A total of 861 (17%) participants were found to have incident CKD. They noted an inverse association of educational level with CKD in the general population. Smoking, potassium excretion, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and hypertension were the factors that mediated the link between education and incident CKD. Additionally, mediation by magnesium excretion, protein intake, and diabetes was suggested by analysis on annual eGFR change.