Meal enjoyment, social interaction, and outing frequency are associated with handgrip strength in older women after adjusting for age
In a cross-sectional study of 2206 community-dwelling older women, higher handgrip strength was associated with younger age and more favorable lifestyle behaviors. After adjusting for age, meal enjoyment (p=0.024), social interaction (p=0.001), and outing frequency (p=0.017) remained significantly associated with handgrip strength, while sleep quality (p=0.073) and exercise frequency (p=0.060) did not. Higher lifestyle scores were significantly associated with higher handgrip strength.
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Meal enjoyment, social interaction, and outing frequency are associated with handgrip strength in older women after adjusting for age The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 34/100 (low).
The Claim
Meal enjoyment, social interaction, and outing frequency are associated with handgrip strength in older women after adjusting for age
This conclusion is most relevant to: Community-dwelling older women (n=2206).
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Associations Between Lifestyle Behaviors and Handgrip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study. (Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026) —
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Lifestyle behaviors (meal enjoyment, social interaction, outing frequency) may reflect overall physical and social engagement
- ▸These behaviors could promote physical activity and nutritional intake, supporting muscle function
- ▸Social engagement may reduce stress and improve mental health, indirectly benefiting physical function
- ▸Result: Higher engagement in these behaviors is associated with greater handgrip strength
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸Community-dwelling older women (n=2206)
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
- ▸Lifestyle behaviors were self-reported via questionnaire, potentially subject to recall bias
- ▸Residual confounding from unmeasured variables (e.g., comorbidities, medication use) cannot be excluded
Frequently Asked Questions
What lifestyle factors were associated with handgrip strength in older women?▼
Meal enjoyment, social interaction, and outing frequency were significantly associated with handgrip strength after adjusting for age.
Was sleep quality associated with handgrip strength in this study?▼
No, sleep quality was not significantly associated with handgrip strength after age adjustment (p=0.073).
What was the sample size and design of the study?▼
The study included 2206 community-dwelling older women and used a cross-sectional design.
Can these findings be used to infer causality?▼
No, because the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inference; only associations can be concluded.
References
- 1.Maruyama Y, Ueda M. “Associations Between Lifestyle Behaviors and Handgrip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study..” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. PMID: 42588237 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14152269