Low Grip Strength and Prediabetes in Healthy Weight Adults
HHS Public Access Author manuscript J Am Board Fam Med. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2018 October 29.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Board Fam Med. 2016 ; 29(2): 280–282. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150262.
Low Grip Strength and Prediabetes in Healthy Weight Adults
Arch G. Mainous III, PhD1,2, Rebecca J. Tanner, MA1, Stephen D. Anton, PhD3, and Ara Jo, MS1
1.Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy, University of Florida, FL
2.Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Florida, FL
3.Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, FL
Abstract
Introduction: Detection of prediabetes is an important step in diabetes prevention in primary care. Risk stratification of healthy weight individuals for detection of prediabetes is necessary to avoid missed opportunities for diabetes prevention.
Methods: Using data from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we studied the relationship between combined handgrip strength, a proxy for lean muscle mass, and prediabetes among adults age 20 and older without diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes who had a healthy weight body mass index (18.5-24.9) (unweighted n=1,340, weighted n=58,360,690). Prediabetes was defined as having a glycohemoglobin level between 5.7% and 6.4%.
Results: 20.5% of the healthy weight adults had prediabetes. Combined mean grip strength was lower for individuals with prediabetes than those with normoglycemia in the full sample (63.8 kg compared to 70.9 kg, p=.004). Similar results were seen among both men (87.9 kg compared to 82.1kg, p=.03) and women (51.8 kg compared to 56.5 kg, p=.001) in subgroup analysis.
Conclusions: Grip strength is associated with prediabetes among healthy weight US adults. Grip strength may have utility as an indicator for screening healthy weight individuals for prediabetes.
J Am Board Fam Med. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2018 October 29.
