Dose-Response Associations of Grip Strength and Gait Speed With Multidimensional Mental Health

We aimed to examine the dose-response associations of grip strength and gait speed with multidimensional mental health among Chinese adults.

Cross-sectional data on 661 adults from the ZheJiang longitudinal Study of Healthy Aging (JASHA) were utilized. Grip strength and gait speed were measured during physical examinations. Multidimensional mental health, covering cognitive function (the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)), depressive symptoms (the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale), and psychological distress (the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)), were assessed via standard questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression models and restricted cubic splines were applied to examine these associations.

We found linear dose-response associations of grip strength and gait speed with most dimensions of mental health. For instance, higher grip strength was positively associated with higher cognitive function scores (AVLT_N3: β = 0.084, standard error (SE) = 0.032; DSST: β = 0.246, SE = 0.073 for per unit increase in grip strength) and lower CES-D scores (β = -1.265, SE = 0.626). Similarly, higher gait speed was associated with higher cognitive function scores (AVLT_N3: β = 2.882, SE = 0.860; MoCA: β = 0.996, SE = 0.499 for per unit increase in gait speed), lower CES-D scores (β = -1.448, SE = 0.692), and lower PSS scores (β = -2.808, SE = 0.938). Notably, the associations were more pronounced in females and older adults.

In this sample spanning a wide range of ages, we found linear significant associations of grip strength and gait speed with most dimensions of mental health. The finding unveils the intrinsic connections between musculoskeletal function and mental health, highlighting the potential of preserving musculoskeletal function, such as via maintaining regular physical exercise, to prevent mental health disorders, especially for females and older adults.