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Differential Relationship of Grip Strength with Body Composition and Lifestyle Factors Between Indian Urban and Rural Boys and Girls

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Abstract

Objectives

To assess grip strength and gender differences in grip strength in 9–18-y-old urban and rural Indian children, to study association of grip strength with body composition, and assess determinants of grip strength.

Methods

This was part of a multicenter, cross-sectional, school-based study (n = 1978, mean age 13.3 ± 2.2 y) from three urban and rural states. Anthropometry, body composition, dietary intake, physical activity, sunlight exposure, and grip strength (in kg) were measured.

Results

Mean grip strength increased with age but plateaued in girls after 12 y and was higher in boys (19.6 ± 9.2) than girls (14.3 ± 5.3) (p < 0.05). Mean grip strength was higher in urban (21.05 ± 9.7) than in rural boys (17.8 ± 8.2) (p < 0.05), and comparable in urban (14.9 ± 5.2) and rural girls (13.8 ± 5.5). Grip strength in girls remained lower than boys after adjusting for muscle mass. Difference between boys and girls reduced after body size [body mass index (BMI)] correction, but remained low in girls, plateauing after 15 y. Muscle mass and age were significant determinants of grip strength in all children. On addition of lifestyle factors to the model, grip strength was explained to varied degrees in the children.

Conclusion

In boys, nutrition through body size and composition was largely responsible for the differences in grip strength, and in girls, additionally, sociocultural factors also possibly impacted grip strength.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Hemchand Prasad, Dr Sanwar Agarwal, Dr Narendra Singh, and Dr Vivek Patwardhan for their invaluable contribution and support. The authors also wish to express their sincere thanks to all the children and parents who participated in this study. They thank the school principals, teachers, and school staff also.

Funding

SK and SV were funded by a Fellowship Grant from University Grants Commission, Government of India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Growth and Pediatric Endocrine Department, Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, Jehangir Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India

    Sonal Kasture, Veena Ekbote, Smruti Vispute, Vaman Khadilkar, Ketan Gondhalekar & Anuradha Khadilkar

  2. Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Khyati Institute of Science, Khyati Foundation, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Prerna Patel

  3. Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Rd, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, India

    Sonal Kasture, Smruti Vispute, Vaman Khadilkar & Anuradha Khadilkar

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  1. Sonal Kasture
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  2. Veena Ekbote
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  4. Smruti Vispute
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  5. Vaman Khadilkar
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  6. Ketan Gondhalekar
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  7. Anuradha Khadilkar
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Contributions

SK: Data collection and analyses, manuscript drafting; VE: Conceptualization and design, data collection, manuscript drafting; PP: Manuscript drafting; SV: Data collection, manuscript drafting; VK: Manuscript drafting; KG: Data analysis, manuscript drafting; AK: Conceptualization and design, data collection & analysis, interpretation of results, manuscript drafting. AK will act as the guarantor for this paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anuradha Khadilkar.

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Ethics Approval

This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki and all procedures involving human subjects were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee.

Consent to Participate

Written informed consent was obtained from the parents of subjects and written informed assent was obtained from the subjects.

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The parents signed informed consent regarding publishing the data of their children.

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None.

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Kasture, S., Ekbote, V., Patel, P. et al. Differential Relationship of Grip Strength with Body Composition and Lifestyle Factors Between Indian Urban and Rural Boys and Girls. Indian J Pediatr 89, 1229–1235 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-022-04153-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-022-04153-9

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