Weight underestimation and weight nonregulation behavior may be related to weak grip strength

The hypothesis of this study is that weight-related behaviors such as weight perception and weight control efforts may be related to health indicators such as grip strength as an indicator of muscle strength. This cross-sectional study aimed to prove this hypothesis by assessment of the associations of perceived weight status, weight misperceptions, and weight control efforts with grip strength. A questionnaire and measurements were used to assess the perceived weight status, weight control efforts, weight control methods, weight misperceptions, grip strength (sarcopenic vs normal), and confounding factors (measured body mass index, sociodemographic characteristics, concurrent chronic diseases, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, depressive mood, health-related quality of life, health behaviors, and protein intake) among 12,727 adults (men, 43.1%; 51.0 ± 16.6 years old) using the 2015 to 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In fully adjusted models, the odds of sarcopenic grip strength tended to increase with thinner weight perceptions (P for trend <.001). Sarcopenic grip strength was inversely associated with accurate estimation or overestimation of weight (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.64-0.68) and weight loss/maintenance efforts (aOR 0.68-0.73) compared with underestimation of weight and nonweight control efforts. These findings were consistent across sex and weight status, and were found among participants aged 60 years or older but not less than 60 years. In conclusion, this study supports the research hypothesis that the perception of one's own weight, the accuracy of the perceived weight, and the weight control efforts may be related to weak handgrip strength.