Study Overview
Cardiometabolic risks, associated with overweight and obesity, remain a significant concern for health professionals and the general population. In a groundbreaking study published in *Scientific Reports* by Garcia-Hermoso and colleagues (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43471-5), researchers examined the potential mitigating effects of muscular fitness, specifically handgrip strength, on obesity-related health risks among college students. This study highlights a nuanced relationship between body mass index (BMI), body composition, and cardiometabolic health.
Research Methodology
The peer-reviewed research article entitled “Handgrip strength attenuates the adverse effects of overweight on cardiometabolic risk factors among collegiate students but not in individuals with higher fat levels” delves into the interplay between fitness and fatness in the context of metabolic health. The study, conducted on 1,795 participants aged over 18 years from The FUPRECOL Study, used handgrip strength measured by a grip dynamometer to classify individuals into fit or unfit categories.
Key Findings
In the study, metabolic syndrome composite scores (MetScores), body fat percentages, and visceral adiposity demonstrated a positive linear relationship with BMI categories among college students. Notably, overweight individuals with higher handgrip strength—deemed fit—showed lower MetScores, body fat percentage, and visceral fat compared to their unfit counterparts. Even moderately fit obese individuals displayed significantly lower levels of visceral fat compared to unfit obese individuals. This implies that having adequate handgrip strength can dampen the negative cardiovascular and metabolic effects often seen in conjunction with obesity.
Contextualizing the Findings
Garcia-Hermoso et al.’s findings (2020) resonate with earlier research underscoring the importance of muscular fitness. Magnusson et al. (2012) found that muscular fitness relates to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in youth (doi: 10.1007/s00421-011-2286-4), while Lopez-Martinez et al. (2013) discussed the relationship between physical activity, fitness, and metabolic syndrome in adults (doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.23.4.312). In concert, Fraser et al. (2016) identified muscular fitness phenotypes in childhood as a predictor of adult metabolic syndrome (doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000955).
Implications for Public Health
These results imply that interventions aimed at improving muscular strength may be beneficial for individuals at risk of metabolic syndrome due to being overweight. This is echoed in the systematic review by Rijk et al. (2016), which found handgrip strength to be an excellent prognostic tool for health outcomes in older populations (doi: 10.1111/ggi.12508).
However, the authors caution that for individuals with higher body fat percentages, the protective effect of handgrip strength was less pronounced, pointing towards weight loss as a necessary recommendation for this demographic.
Recommendations and Future Research
While the study concludes that handgrip strength does provide a protective effect against cardiometabolic risks, Garcia-Hermoso et al. recommend weight loss for all individuals with obesity, regardless of their current fitness levels. Moreover, the research opens avenues for further investigation into the role of muscular strength training in preventing and managing cardiometabolic health risks.
Keywords
1. Handgrip strength cardiometabolic risk
2. Muscular fitness obesity
3. BMI metabolic syndrome
4. Overweight health outcomes college students
5. Body composition cardiometabolic health
References
1. García-Hermoso, A., Tordecilla-Sanders, A., Correa-Bautista, J. E., et al. (2019). Handgrip strength attenuates the adverse effects of overweight on cardiometabolic risk factors among collegiate students but not in individuals with higher fat levels. Scientific Reports, 9, 6986. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43471-5
2. Magnussen, C. G., Schmidt, M. D., Dwyer, T., & Venn, A. (2012). Muscular fitness and clustered cardiovascular disease risk in Australian youth. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112, 3167–3171. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-011-2286-4
3. López-Martínez, S., et al. (2013). Physical activity, fitness, and metabolic syndrome in young adults. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 23, 312–321. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.23.4.312
4. Fraser, B. J., et al. (2016). Childhood muscular fitness phenotypes and adult metabolic syndrome. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48, 1715–1722. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000955
5. Rijk, J. M., Roos, P. R., Deckx, L., Akker, M., & Buntinx, F. (2016). Prognostic value of handgrip strength in people aged 60 years and older: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 16, 5–20. DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12508
This research study presents a compelling case that handgrip strength can act as a mitigating factor against cardiometabolic risks, albeit with reduced effectiveness in individuals with higher fat content. This challenges the conventional wisdom of “fit but fat” and underscores the importance of combining strength-based exercises with weight management strategies for improving metabolic health in both normal-weight and overweight populations, including college students.