Dietary Protein Intake and Overall Diet Quality are Associated with Handgrip Strength in African American and White Adults

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine the association of handgrip strength (HS) with protein intake, diet quality, and nutritional and cardiovascular biomarkers in African American and White adults.DesignCross-sectional wave 3 (2009–2013) of the cohort Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study.ParticipantsSocioeconomically diverse urban population of 2,468 persons aged 33 to 71 years.MeasurementsSocio-demographic correlates, dietary intakes and biomarkers, HS, physical performance measures were collected. HS was measured using a dynamometer with the dominant hand. Functional measures included chair, tandem, and single leg stands. Two 24-hour recalls were collected using the US Department of Agriculture Automated Multiple Pass Method. The total protein intake and diet quality, evaluated by adherence to the DASH eating plan and Healthy Eating Index-2010, were calculated. Biomarkers included nutritional anemia, and serum levels of albumin, cholesterol, magnesium, and glucose.ResultsThe mean ±SE age of the sample was 52.3±0.2 years. Approximately 61% were African American and 57% were women. The mean ±SE HS of women was 29.1±0.2kg and for men was 45.9±0.4 kg. Protein, gm, per kg body weight for the women was 0.94±0.02 compared to 1.16 ±0.02 for men. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, hypertension, and diabetes, HS/BMI ratio was significantly associated with protein intake per kg body weight (p<0.001) and diet quality, assessed by either the DASH adherence (p=0.009) or Health Eating Index-2010 (p=0.031) scores. For both men and women, participants in the upper tertile of HS maintained a single leg and tandem stances longer and completed 5 and 10 chair stands in shorter time compared to individuals in the lower HS tertile. Of the nutritional status indicators, the percent of men in the upper HS tertile with low serum magnesium and albumin, was significantly lower than those in the lower HS tertile [magnesium,7.4% vs 16.1%; albumin, 0.4% vs 4.5%]. The only difference observed for women was a lower percent of diabetes (14.4% for the upper HS tertile compared to 20.5% for the lower HS tertile.ConclusionsThe findings confirm the role of protein and a healthful diet in the maintenance of muscle strength. In this community sample, HS was significantly associated with other physical performance measures but did not appear to be strongly associated with indicators of nutritional risk. These findings support the use of HS as a proxy for functional status and indicate the need for research to explore its role as a predictor of nutritional risk.

Association of dietary approaches to stop hypertension eating style and risk of sarcopenia

“…Therefore, this pattern of sarcopenia might be different from the one we studied in the current study and their findings cannot easily be generalized to other healthy populations. Unlike our findings, a cross-sectional study indicated a favorable association between adherence to the DASH diet and handgrip strength, as a component of sarcopenia 32 . In a quasi-experimental study, combined resistance training (RT) along with a counseling on modified DASH diet in 95 overweight and obese older adults aged 55 to 80 years resulted in significant improvements in muscle strength, as measured by handgrip strength and knee extensor torque 33 .…”

“…In addition, DASH diet may reduce the risk of age-related chronic conditions (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer), that are associated with worsening muscle health 12,14,[28][29][30][31] . We are aware of only two studies that examined the link between DASH diet and sarcopenia or its components 32,33 . Adherence to this eating style in African American and White adults was associated with better handgrip strength (HS), which is a simple and reliable method to evaluate muscle function 32 .…”

“…We are aware of only two studies that examined the link between DASH diet and sarcopenia or its components 32,33 . Adherence to this eating style in African American and White adults was associated with better handgrip strength (HS), which is a simple and reliable method to evaluate muscle function 32 . However, the study of Kuczmarski et al examined the association of DASH diet with handgrip strength alone, not the sarcopenia 32 .…”

“…Adherence to this eating style in African American and White adults was associated with better handgrip strength (HS), which is a simple and reliable method to evaluate muscle function 32 . However, the study of Kuczmarski et al examined the association of DASH diet with handgrip strength alone, not the sarcopenia 32 . In a quasi-experimental study by Straight et al, administration of DASH diet for eight weeks in overweight and obese older adults resulted in improved body composition, muscle strength, and physical function 33 .…”

Association of Handgrip Strength with Dietary Intake in the Korean Population: Findings Based on the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII-1), 2016

“…Among the most commonly applied and reliable assessment methods for this purpose is 24-h dietary recall, which constitutes a logical approach to examining the nutrients that influence muscle strength and the underlying mechanisms, because it captures actual food consumption. In addition, recent studies imply that HGS can be used as a predictor of nutritional status [ 9 , 10 ].…”