Handgrip Strength as Potential Predictor for Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study is to identify relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) on the risk of metabolic syndrome. METHODS: All participants (488 males and 521 females) were randomly chosen in the process of health examination in a university affiliated hospital in South Korea. The relative HGS was defined as a ratio of absolute HGS to body weight, subsequently classified into three groups (tertile) in each gender. A logistic regression model was used to determine the relation between the HGS and MetS after adjusting age. RESULTS: HGS was inversely associated with most of the MetS components in both male and female. In male, participants in the lowest tertile of HGS has 2.52 times [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43-4.46] higher odd of having MetS compared with participants in the highest tertile of HGS. In female, participants in the lowest tertile of HGS has 5.01 times (95% CI: 1.66-15.08) higher odd of having MetS compared with participants in the highest tertile of HGS. In both gender, height and body weight were positively associated with HGS. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding suggests that HGS was strongly associated with components of MetS: higher the HGS, lower the risk of MetS. HGS could potentially be used as one of the health indicators for general population.