Combined handgrip strength and incident chronic digestive diseases

A prospective parallel analysis examining broad and specific endpoints in Chinese and European older adults

Bibliographic Data

ID19530608
AuthorsJian Liu (0000-0002-1447-0973, Shandong First Medical University), Minghao Ji (Shandong First Medical University), Xinlong Pang (Shandong First Medical University), Xiangyan Liu (0000-0002-3618-3158, Shandong First Medical University), Wentao Ji (0000-0002-6602-6313, Shandong First Medical University), Zhongwei Xin (0000-0002-8079-428X, Shandong First Medical University, corresponding author), Mo Shi (0000-0001-8001-4354, Shandong First Medical University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume19
Issue1
Pages2686499-2686499
Publication date2026-12-31
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Health Action (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1654-9716 • E-ISSN: 1654-9880
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/16549716.2026.2686499
PMID42290375
OpenAlexW7164848214
LanguageEN
References cited38

BACKGROUND: Handgrip strength is a simple marker of muscle function, but its prospective association with digestive morbidity remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between combined handgrip strength (CHS) and incident self-reported digestive outcomes in two ageing cohorts with different endpoint definitions. METHODS: This prospective parallel analysis included 7,750 participants from CHARLS (2011-2018) and 6,728 from SHARE (2011-2017), after excluding individuals with baseline digestive diseases. CHS was the sum of the maximum grip strength values from both hands. Outcomes were incident chronic digestive system diseases in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and incident peptic ulcer disease in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), based on self-reported physician diagnoses. Cox proportional hazards models were used, with sensitivity analyses using shorter follow-up windows and maximum single-hand grip strength. RESULTS: In CHARLS, higher CHS was associated with lower risk of incident chronic digestive system diseases in the fully adjusted model (HR per 1 kg increase, 0.990; 95% CI, 0.984-0.997), and the high-CHS group had lower risk than the low-CHS group (HR, 0.895; 95% CI, 0.803-0.998). In SHARE, the overall association with peptic ulcer disease was weaker and non-significant (HR, 0.996; 95% CI, 0.991-1.001), whereas an inverse association was observed among women (HR, 0.989; 95% CI, 0.979-0.999). Sensitivity analyses were generally directionally consistent. CONCLUSIONS: Lower CHS was associated with subsequent self-reported digestive outcomes, more consistently in CHARLS than in SHARE. Outcome heterogeneity, self-reported diagnoses, modest discriminatory performance, and unmeasured confounding warrant cautious interpretation

Ageing · Confounding · Disease · Grip strength · Hand strength · Longitudinal study · Proportional hazards model · Prospective cohort study · Dysphagia Assessment and Management · Gastrointestinal motility and disorders · Nutrition and Health in Aging

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