A large-scale epidemiological study conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has shown that high muscle strength significantly reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), even among individuals with a high genetic predisposition.
Published in BMC Medicine, the study highlights the importance of muscle strength as a preventive factor for T2D across all genetic risk levels.
The study utilized data from 141,848 white British participants in the UK Biobank who did not have T2D at baseline. Researchers assessed muscle strength using grip strength and calculated genetic risk based on 138 T2D-related genetic variants. Over a follow-up period exceeding seven years, 4,743 participants developed T2D.
Key findings revealed that individuals with high muscle strength had a 44% lower relative risk of T2D compared to those with low muscle strength, even after accounting for genetic risk and other factors.
Notably, those with high genetic risk but also high muscle strength had a lower absolute risk of developing T2D than those with low or medium genetic risk and low muscle strength. This suggests that muscle strength may help offset the effects of genetic susceptibility.
According to Dr. Wang Mengyao, the first author, the findings underscore the importance of maintaining or enhancing muscle strength as a preventive measure against T2D.
Co-author Professor Ryan Au Yeung emphasized the importance of biobank studies in understanding gene-environment interactions.
Corresponding author Professor Youngwon Kim highlighted the relevance of muscle-strengthening activities in public health guidelines, especially for middle-aged and older adults.
The researchers advocate for further studies in diverse populations, including East Asians, to explore the broader applicability of these findings.
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The study is published in BMC Medicine.
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