High muscle strength linked to 44% lower risk of diabetes: Study

High muscle strength may cut type 2 diabetes risk by 44%, even among those genetically vulnerable, finds a study published in BMC Medicine.

Having a high muscle strength is linked with a 44 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes, regardless of one's genetic tendencies for the metabolic disorder, according to a study. Analysing data of over 1.4 lakh people from the UK Biobank, researchers from the University of Hong Kong found evidence of an interaction between muscle strength and genetic vulnerability to type 2 diabetes, in which the body is unable to regulate blood sugar.

New study says having good muscle strength may reduce diabetes risk by 44%. (Freepik)

What the study reveals

They said this suggests that muscle strength could help modify the effects of genetic risk. The study's findings, published in the journal BioMed Central (BMC) Medicine, showed that people at a high risk of diabetes but with good muscle strength could have a lower overall risk of developing the metabolic disorder.

Public health guidelines in Hong Kong recommend muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity on at least two days of a week, along with 150-300 minutes per week of aerobic physical activity, for "additional health benefits".

"Our study supports the current public health guidelines which suggest that adults should engage in muscle-strengthening activities for at least two days per week from a disease prevention perspective," said corresponding author Youngwon Kim, a physical activity epidemiologist and professor at the University of Hong Kong's faculty of medicine.

Muscle strength is a crucial aspect of overall fitness, and considered a strong biomarker of current and future health. In the study, 'grip strength' of an individual was used for analysis. While muscle strength has been previously related with a lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes, its role in lowering risk among those at a higher genetic risk of such disorders has been unclear, the researchers said.

Muscle strength may offset genetic risk

"Individuals in middle-to-late life are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. However, our study has demonstrated the potential roles of high muscle strength in preventing the future risk of developing type 2 diabetes not only in all individuals, but also in individuals with high genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes," Kim said.

The findings highlight the importance of maintaining or improving muscle strength as a key strategy for preventing diabetes, the researchers said. The study followed the participants over a period of more than seven years, during which 4,743 new cases of diabetes were identified.

"High muscle strength was associated with a 44 per cent lower hazard of T2D (type 2 diabetes), compared with low muscle strength, after adjustment for genetic risk of T2D," the authors wrote. Further, "individuals at high genetic risk of T2D but with high muscle strength may have a lower 8-year absolute risk of developing T2D, compared with those at low or medium genetic risk but with low muscle strength," they wrote.