The Effect of Interaction between Obesity and Grip Strength on Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly: Based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018)

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine interaction between obesity and grip strength in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods: This study analyzed the data of 4,119 Korean men and women aged 65 years or older who participated in Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2016-2018. Body mass index was divided into normal and obesity. Grip strength was defined as the maximum value of the measured data. Sarcopenia was considered as the average of grip strength less than 26 kg in men and 18 kg in women. HRQOL was measured based on the Euro quality of life-5 dimensions questionnaire. We conducted a linear regression analysis to examine interaction effect between obesity and grip strength, and to estimate the interaction term between obesity and sarcopenia in HRQOL. Results: We identified that obesity interacted with grip strength to affect HRQOL (p=0.022) in aged people. Obese elderly men and women were more likely to have lower HRQOL scores compared to those who had normal weight among participants with low grip strength values. However, there was no significant difference between obesity and normal weight at high grip strength (34.3 kg-52.7 kg) in HRQOL significantly (p=0.41). Moreover, we identified interaction effect between obesity and sarcopenia (p=0.019). Participants who had sarcopenia with normal weight were not different from those who were obese in HRQOL (p=0.61). Conclusions: Obesity and grip strength were associated with HRQOL. Also, those two factors were interacted to affect HRQOL. Obesity was interacted with sarcopenia to shape HRQOL. Therefore, we need to give a more attention to the elderly who were obese with low grip strength.