Association between relative muscle strength and hypertension in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

BACKGROUND: The association between muscle defects and hypertension is well-established. However, the absence of pertinent and uncomplicated clinical indicators presents a challenge. Relative muscle strength (RMS) may offer a viable indicator. This study aimed to explore the association between RMS and hypertension. METHODS: A total of 12,720 individuals aged ≥ 45 years from the 2011 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included. Grip strength was recorded and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was estimated using a validated mathematical formula. The RMS was calculated as the ratio of grip strength to ASM. Hypertension was determined based on previous diagnosis, history of hypertension medication use, and current blood pressure. Logistic regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between RMS and hypertension. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 41.7% (5,307/12,720 patients). RMS was negatively correlated with hypertension with an OR (95% CI) of 0.68 (0.59–0.79) for males, 0.81 (0.73–0.90) for females, and 0.78 (0.72–0.85) for the entire population after adjusting for related covariates including age, education, marital history, smoking history, drinking history, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. The trend test showed a linear association among males, females, or the entire population. Stratified analysis showed a consistent negative correlation between RMS and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Higher RMS is an independent protective factor against hypertension and efforts to promote RMS may be beneficial for the prevention and management of hypertension. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-023-17007-6.