Correlates of hand grip strength in a cohort of older Nigerian Africans: Findings from the population-based VALIANT project

Abstract

Previous evidence suggests there are racial, genetic, and geographic differences in hand grip strength (HGS) underlying the need to define population-specific normative values and their determinants. We determined the normative values of HGS and investigated its correlates in an urban community sample in Nigeria. We assessed 607 participants from the Vascular heAlth, fraiLty, and cognItion in Ageing Nigerians sTudy [VALIANT] - a population-based cohort of 1031 older persons in Ibadan, a city in Southwestern Nigeria. They were recruited through a multi-stage, stratified cluster random sampling method. HGS was defined as the highest recorded/maximum HGS (max. HGS) of both hands. The determinants (β coefficient, p values) of HGS were identified using linear regression model. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 64.6 (11.5) with 67.8 % females. The mean (SD) max. HGS (in kg) of the study population was 19.65±10.16 overall; 24.51(14.01) among males and 17.31(6.51) among females (p < 0.001). Overall, female sex (β=-6.38, p < 0.001), clinical frailty (β=-1.35, p < 0.001), and baseline MoCA scores (β=0.37, p 0.001) were independently associated with max. HGS. In the subgroup analysis, presence of hypertension (β=2.64, p < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (β=-2.61, p 0.05) were independently associated with max. HGS among females, but not males. Our findings buttress the intricate link between overall physical, cardiometabolic as well as cognitive health in this unique West African population.