Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study

BackgroundBoth low handgrip strength (HGS) and abnormal glucose metabolism have been implicated in an increased risk of cognitive impairment. However, whether HGS interacts with glucose metabolism status to influence cognitive function remains unclear. This study explores the relationship between HG...

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Main Authors: Shiqi Wang, Liangchen Li, Jia Yu, Xianli Sun, Jianqiao Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1566652/full
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author Shiqi Wang
Liangchen Li
Jia Yu
Xianli Sun
Jianqiao Chen
author_facet Shiqi Wang
Liangchen Li
Jia Yu
Xianli Sun
Jianqiao Chen
author_sort Shiqi Wang
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundBoth low handgrip strength (HGS) and abnormal glucose metabolism have been implicated in an increased risk of cognitive impairment. However, whether HGS interacts with glucose metabolism status to influence cognitive function remains unclear. This study explores the relationship between HGS and cognitive impairment risk among middle-aged and older Chinese adults and examines the potential modulation of this association by glucose metabolism status.MethodsData from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) collected in 2011 and 2018 were analyzed, including 7,301 participants aged ≥ 45 years. Cognitive impairment was the primary outcome. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were applied to evaluate the association between HGS and cognitive impairment risk across different glucose metabolism statuses.ResultsThe study included 7,301 participants (mean age: 58.8 ± 8.9 years; 49.3% female). Over a 7-year follow-up, the mean cognitive function score declined from 12.05 ± 3.30 to 7.75 ± 5.70. After adjusting for confounders, logistic regression analyses indicated that higher HGS was significantly associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Participants in the highest HGS quartile (Q4) had a significantly reduced odds of cognitive impairment compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49–0.71; P < 0.001). RCS analysis demonstrated a significant negative linear correlation between HGS and cognitive impairment across individuals with normal glucose regulation, prediabetes, and diabetes (P < 0.001). The interaction p-value was 0.277, indicating no significant differences in this association among glucose metabolism subgroups.ConclusionHigher HGS is significantly associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment among middle-aged and older individuals, irrespective of glucose metabolism status. These findings suggest that HGS assessment could be a valuable universal tool for evaluating cognitive impairment risk, regardless of metabolic conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-7cbb8ba2b57e4c258fc9dc37d96b72e32025-08-20T03:53:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652025-04-011710.3389/fnagi.2025.15666521566652Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS studyShiqi Wang0Liangchen Li1Jia Yu2Xianli Sun3Jianqiao Chen4Department of General, Zhengzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, ChinaDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Navy Qingdao Special Service Recuperation Center, Qingdao, ChinaHaikou Cadre’s Sanitarium of Hainan Military Region, Haikou, Hainan, ChinaDepartment of Health Medicine, Hainan Branch of General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Sanya, Hainan, ChinaDepartment of Geriatric, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People’s Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, ChinaBackgroundBoth low handgrip strength (HGS) and abnormal glucose metabolism have been implicated in an increased risk of cognitive impairment. However, whether HGS interacts with glucose metabolism status to influence cognitive function remains unclear. This study explores the relationship between HGS and cognitive impairment risk among middle-aged and older Chinese adults and examines the potential modulation of this association by glucose metabolism status.MethodsData from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) collected in 2011 and 2018 were analyzed, including 7,301 participants aged ≥ 45 years. Cognitive impairment was the primary outcome. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were applied to evaluate the association between HGS and cognitive impairment risk across different glucose metabolism statuses.ResultsThe study included 7,301 participants (mean age: 58.8 ± 8.9 years; 49.3% female). Over a 7-year follow-up, the mean cognitive function score declined from 12.05 ± 3.30 to 7.75 ± 5.70. After adjusting for confounders, logistic regression analyses indicated that higher HGS was significantly associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Participants in the highest HGS quartile (Q4) had a significantly reduced odds of cognitive impairment compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49–0.71; P < 0.001). RCS analysis demonstrated a significant negative linear correlation between HGS and cognitive impairment across individuals with normal glucose regulation, prediabetes, and diabetes (P < 0.001). The interaction p-value was 0.277, indicating no significant differences in this association among glucose metabolism subgroups.ConclusionHigher HGS is significantly associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment among middle-aged and older individuals, irrespective of glucose metabolism status. These findings suggest that HGS assessment could be a valuable universal tool for evaluating cognitive impairment risk, regardless of metabolic conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1566652/fullhandgrip strengthcognitive impairmentglucose metabolism statusmiddle-aged and olderCHARLS
spellingShingle Shiqi Wang
Liangchen Li
Jia Yu
Xianli Sun
Jianqiao Chen
Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
handgrip strength
cognitive impairment
glucose metabolism status
middle-aged and older
CHARLS
title Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
title_full Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
title_fullStr Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
title_full_unstemmed Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
title_short Handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses: insights from the CHARLS study
title_sort handgrip strength and risk of cognitive impairment across different glucose metabolism statuses insights from the charls study
topic handgrip strength
cognitive impairment
glucose metabolism status
middle-aged and older
CHARLS
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1566652/full
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