The Association between Alcohol Consumption and Grip Strength in a Nationwide Survey

BACKGROUND: Handgrip strength (HGS) is an important predictor of long-term health and physical function. Studies have associated alcohol consumption with HGS but based on inconsistent findings. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data were analyzed to examine the association between alcohol consumption levels and HGS based on sociodemographic and health-related factors. METHODS: Using the 2014 to 2018 KNHANES data, alcohol consumption levels (abstinence, moderate, binge, and heavy consumption) and HGS levels (normal vs. weak) were determined in 8,556 men and 10,054 women (age, 49±16 years). Logistic regression analyses were conducted after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors and in subgroups of those factors. RESULTS: Binge or heavy consumption was reported in 50.2% of men and 22.7% of women, and weak HGS was found in 4.6% of men and 9.9% of women. In the fully adjusted model, weak HGS was associated with binge consumption (odds ratio [OR], 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37–0.71) and heavy consumption (OR, 0.37, 95% CI, 0.22–0.63) in men, and moderate consumption (OR, 0.79, 95% CI, 0.67–0.93) and binge consumption (OR, 0.65, 95% CI, 0.52–0.83) in women. An association between consumption levels and weak HGS was found in both sexes regardless of age (<65 vs. ≥65 years), education/income level, exercise endurance level, presence/absence of co-morbid illness, weight, and the presence/absence of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption may be inversely associated with weak HGS, regardless of sociodemographic and health-related factors using the 2014 to 2018 KNHANES data. Further prospective studies are necessary to examine the causality of the association.