Relative handgrip strength correlates inversely with increased body fat, inflammatory markers and increased serum lipids in young, healthy adults – The LBA study

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice 2024-01, Vol.207, p.111057-111057, Article 111057
• Main Authors: Pettersson-Pablo, Paul, Nilsson, Torbjörn K, Hurtig-Wennlöf, Anita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adult; age distribution; ApoA1; apolipoprotein A1; apolipoprotein B; biochemistry; biological marker; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose - metabolism; body composition; body fat; body fat percentage; C reactive protein; controlled study; cross-sectional study; CRP; diastolic blood pressure; fasting blood glucose level; fasting insulin level; Fasting serum insulin; Female; Glucose; grip strength; Hand Strength; high density lipoprotein; HOMA index; human; human experiment; Humans; Insulin Resistance; lipid; lipid blood level; male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - complications; metabolic syndrome X; orosomucoid; pathogenesis; population structure; prediction; Relative handgrip strength; screening test; Swedish citizen; systolic blood pressure; triacylglycerol; Triglycerides; waist circumference; young adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2023.111057

•A higher relative handgrip strength correlates with more a more favorable metabolic status, as determined by surrogate markers of the metabolic syndrome.•Relative handgrip strength is a better predictor of metabolic status than absolute handgrip strength.•Relative handgrip strength is preclinically relevant, as a sensitive tool for detection of metabolic risk even in young, healthy individuals. Handgrip strength (HGS) is a surrogate marker of whole body strength that has been observed to correlate inversely with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this study, we examined whether HGS in young, healthy individuals, was associated with surrogate endpoints of the MetS. A secondary goal was to examine whether absolute HGS (absHGS) or relative HGS (relHGS) was a stronger predictor of MetS. 834 subjects (577 women), aged 18–26, were recruited. Surrogate endpoints for MetS were waist circumference, HDL, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP). We also examined the association between HGS and body fat percentage, HOMA-IR, CRP, orosomucoid and apolipoprotein A-1 and apolipoprotein B. The associations were examined using multivariable linear regression. AbsHGS and relHGS were each associated with several surrogate endpoints of the metabolic syndrome, with RelHGS being statistically significantly associated with a greater number of the variables – all except fasting glucose and diastolic BP. RelHGS correlates with components of the MetS even in young, healthy populations. It is a better predictor of MetS components than absHGS. As a cheap and easy to use biomarker, relHGS holds merit as a screening tool for metabolic dysfunction even in preclinical contexts.