Grip Strength Change and All-Cause Mortality According to Grip Scale Intervals in South Korea

Abstract

Grip strength is a well-established indicator of overall health and physical function. Weaker grip strength is linked to increased mortality. However, limited research has explored how changes in grip strength over time affect mortality risk. This study analyzed data of adults, aged 45–80 years, from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) since 2006. The participants were stratified by sex into three groups based on baseline grip strength and changes over 2 years. Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between grip strength and all-cause mortality until 2020. Among female, those in the lowest tertile (lowest baseline grip strength with a decline of ≥ 2.25 kg) had a 5.63-fold higher mortality risk than those in the middle tertile. In contrast, those in the highest tertile (highest baseline grip strength with an increase of ≥ 1 kg) had a 78% lower risk. Among male, the lowest tertile group (decline of ≥ 3.5 kg) had a 3.29-fold higher mortality risk, while the highest tertile group (increase of ≥ 0.5 kg) had a 62% lower risk compared to the middle group. Both low baseline grip strength and its further decline are strongly associated with increased mortality risks. Importantly, grip strength improvement may reduce this risk. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring grip strength over time and highlight its potential role in strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging and longevity.