Handgrip Strength has Declined Among Adults, Particularly Males, from Shanghai Since 2000

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Public Health
• Epidemiology of Aging
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Handgrip strength (HGS) serves as a key indicator of overall physical health and functional capacity in adults.
• Monitoring temporal trends in HGS is crucial for assessing population health trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the temporal trends of handgrip strength (HGS) among adults in Shanghai from 2000 to 2020.
• To investigate how HGS trends vary across different demographic groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cross-sectional HGS data from 127,756 adults (aged 20-59) in Shanghai, collected in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014, and 2020.
• Measured HGS using isometric dynamometry and adjusted for body size (height-squared).
• Employed general linear models to assess trends, controlling for age, sex, location, occupation, blood pressure, and exercise time.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant, albeit small, decline in mean adjusted HGS was observed since 2000 (ES: -0.21).
• The decline was more substantial in men compared to women (2.8-fold difference).
• Distributional variability and asymmetry showed negligible changes, with a small decline in those with high HGS.

Conclusions:

• A modest decrease in adjusted HGS among Shanghai adults indicates a potential decline in general population health.
• The observed trend, particularly the greater decline in men, highlights sex-specific health considerations.
• Longitudinal monitoring of HGS is vital for public health surveillance and intervention strategies.