Risk factors are defined as elements causally linked to disease, often demonstrated through Mendelian, randomized, or observational trials, whereas risk markers are associated but not necessarily causal.

“Risk factors have pretty much been shown to be causal of the disease through the ways you do that mandelian trials a ton of randomized Trials and even observational trials whereas the risk U markers are not causal per se not to say they're not important and we should attempt to modify them all so there is that little bit of Distinction”