Association Between Aerobic Exercise and Handgrip Strength in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014-2017)

OBJECTIVES

Handgrip strength is an easy-to-assess indicator of overall muscle strength and can be used to evaluate health status. Although previous studies have reported an increase in grip strength due to aerobic exercise, such a study has not been conducted on Korean participants. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on handgrip strength and examine the association between these two variables in Korean patients with hypertension or diabetes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

This study used data from the 6th and 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014-2017).

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 19,650 individuals aged ≥19 years who had responded to questionnaires concerning aerobic exercise and handgrip strength were analyzed.

MEASUREMENTS

The relationship between aerobic activity and handgrip strength was examined by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age of individuals in the low muscle strength group was higher than that in the normal muscle strength group. The odds ratio for low handgrip strength was higher in individuals who did not perform aerobic exercise than in those who performed aerobic exercise. Following adjustment for covariates, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for low handgrip strength were 1.415 (0.187-1.688) in the total sample, 1.799 (1.376-2.352) in patients with hypertension, and 1.811 (1.208-2.715) in patients with diabetes.

CONCLUSION

The results of our study indicated a strong association between aerobic exercise and handgrip strength in the Korean population.

Replacement of parents by meritorious offspring in within-family selection

In within-family selection it may be advantageous not to replace a parent automatically by the best offspring of the same sex but, if necessary, to postpone such replacement until there is a group with a sufficiently meritorious offspring. Roux (1983, Biometrics 39, 479-483) studied this option by an approximate approach. When exact methods are used instead, substantially lower values of selection gain due to the option are obtained. It is concluded that the option is advantageous only under rather restricted circumstances.