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BMC Geriatrics

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Open Access 01-12-2023 | Mood Disorders | Research article

Association between handgrip strength and depression among Chinese older adults: a cross-sectional study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Authors: Fan Zhang, Yaqi Yu, Hui Wang, Ying Zhang, Yan Bai, Liuyan Huang, Huachun Zhang

Published in: BMC Geriatrics | Issue 1/2023

Abstract

Background

Muscle strength and depression have been identified as independent risk factors for mortality in the elderly population. This study aimed to quantify the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and depression in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Research data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) with a cut-off score of 20 or more. HGS was assessed with a dynamometer. Binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression models were used to test the association between HGS and depression.

Results

The sample consisted of 7,036 CHARLS participants, with an average age of 68.9 ± 7.2. After adjusting for gender, age, marriage, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking, drinking, and sleep time, compared with participants in the lowest quartile of HGS, those in the second to the fourth quartile group had a 0.84- (95% CI 0.72 to 0.98), 0.70- (95% CI 0.58 to 0.84) and 0.46- (95% CI 0.35 to 0.61) fold risk of depression, respectively.

Conclusions

There were a negative association between HGS and depression in community-dwelling older adults. It is critical to assess muscle strength in community older adults through accessible and valid objective measures to enhance depression screening.

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Title: Association between handgrip strength and depression among Chinese older adults: a cross-sectional study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Fan Zhang
Yaqi Yu
Hui Wang
Ying Zhang
Yan Bai
Liuyan Huang
Huachun Zhang
Publication date: 01-12-2023
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Mood Disorders
Affective Disorder
Published in: BMC Geriatrics / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2318
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04034-6

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