Association between Cardiovascular Disease and Handgrip Strength Risk among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in India

The literature does not adequately examine the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk in handgrip strength (HGS) among community-dwelling older adults in India. The study aimed to investigate this relationship, considering sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables. A cross-sectional study involving 31,001 individuals aged ≥60 assessed HGS in kilograms using a handheld Smedley Hand Dynamometer and self-reported CVD status. Participants were classified into two groups: with (n = 2291) and without CVD (n = 28,710). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed a significant odds ratio (OR) of HGS among older adults with CVD, adjusted for age, gender, education, marital status, place of residence (sociodemographic), alcohol consumption, smoking, activity, body mass index (lifestyle), hypertension, diabetes, and chronic bone/joint diseases (clinical) (right-handed: OR = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-1.38; left-handed: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.04-1.30). CVD is associated with an increased risk of reduced HGS in older Indians, underscoring that improving HGS may help reduce death rates in this population.