Association between Grip Strength, Obesity, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among the Community-Dwelling Elderly Population in Taiwan

Chun-Yung Chang, Nain-Feng Chu (), Ming-Hsun Lin, Shu-Chuan Wang, Wu Der-Min, Ming-Kai Tsai and Chieh-Hua Lu
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Chun-Yung Chang: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung City 802, Taiwan
Nain-Feng Chu: Division of Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung City 813, Taiwan
Ming-Hsun Lin: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Shu-Chuan Wang: Division of Performance Management, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung City 813, Taiwan
Wu Der-Min: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Ming-Kai Tsai: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung City 802, Taiwan
Chieh-Hua Lu: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-9

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between grip strength, obesity, and cardiometabolic risk factors among elderly individuals with different grip strength statuses and weight statuses in Taiwan. We conducted a series of community-based health surveys among the elderly population in Chiayi County, Taiwan from 2017 to 2019. This is a cross-sectionally designed health check-up program that was conducted by the local public health bureau. Anthropometric characteristics, handgrip strength, diabetes, and cardiometabolic risk profiles were measured using standard methods. This study recruited 3739 subjects (1600 males and 2139 females). The non-obese subjects had lower blood glucose (BG) levels compared to the obese subjects. The BG levels of non-obese and obese subjects were 102.7 ± 25.6 mg/dL vs. 109.1 ± 34.3 mg/dL for males; and 102.8 ± 30.1 mg/dL vs. 112.5 ± 40.3 mg/dL for females (both p < 0.001). The grip strength was negatively associated with BG in both sexes (β = −0.357, p < 0.001 for males and β = −0.385, p < 0.05 for females). The relationship between the grip strength and the risk of diabetes showed that for every 1 kg increase in the grip strength, there was a 4.1% and 4.5% decrease in the risk for developing diabetes for males and females, respectively (OR = 0.959, 95% CI = 0.940–0.979 for males and OR = 0.955, 95% CI = 0.932–0.978 for females). A higher handgrip strength is associated with a lower BG level and a lower risk for diabetes mellitus in the elderly Taiwanese subjects. Additional health promotion should focus on the obese and sarcopenic population to prevent cardiometabolic comorbidities in later life.

Keywords: grip strength; obesity; diabetes; cardiometabolic risk; elderly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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