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A comprehensive epidemiological study conducted by researchers at the School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has revealed significant health benefits linked to high muscle strength in the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D), independent of genetic predisposition. The findings indicated that individuals with greater muscle strength faced over a 40% reduced risk of developing T2D, emphasizing the critical need to maintain or enhance muscle strength as a preventive strategy against this chronic condition. The results of this study were published in BMC Medicine.
Type 2 diabetes is a prevalent chronic metabolic disorder, contributing to severe complications such as cardiovascular diseases, strokes, hypertension, and vascular issues. Characterized by high blood sugar levels due to insulin resistance and inadequate insulin secretion, roughly 10% of the global population is affected by T2D, marking it as a significant public health challenge. Its development often results from the interaction of non-modifiable genetic factors and modifiable lifestyle choices. While muscle strength is a vital component of overall fitness, its role in reducing the risk of T2D poses an important question—should enhancing muscle strength be prioritized in prevention strategies, particularly among those with varying levels of genetic risk?
The investigation employed data from 141,848 white British participants, all initially free of T2D, sourced from the UK Biobank, a prospective cohort study involving over 500,000 UK adults with comprehensive genetic and phenotypic data. Grip strength was used as the measure of muscle strength, and the genetic risk for T2D was calculated based on 138 identified genetic variants linked to the condition.
Over a follow-up period exceeding seven years, researchers identified 4,743 new cases of T2D. Participants exhibiting high muscle strength were shown to have a 44% lower relative risk of developing T2D compared to those with lower muscle strength, after adjusting for genetic risk and other influencing factors. Notably, the results suggested an interaction between muscle strength and genetic risk, implying that greater muscle strength could lessen the effects of genetic predisposition to T2D. Specifically, individuals with high genetic risk but robust muscle strength may actually have a lower absolute risk of T2D than those with moderate or low genetic risk who had lower muscle strength.
This pioneering research offers the first prospective evidence linking muscle strength and genetic susceptibility to T2D with the disease’s risk. Dr. Wang Mengyao, the study’s first author from HKUMed, commented on the findings, stating, “These results underscore the importance of maintaining or boosting muscle strength as a vital method for T2D prevention among middle-aged and older adults, transcending their genetic risk factors. Our study provides novel insights into the substantial influence of heightened muscle strength on metabolic health.”
Additionally, Professor Ryan Au Yeung, a co-author of the study, emphasized the significance of Biobank research in understanding how genetic and lifestyle factors interact to influence T2D risk. He advocated for more research involving ethnically diverse Biobank studies to ascertain whether these insights are applicable to various populations, including East Asians.
Professor Youngwon Kim, the corresponding author of the study, remarked on the implications for public health guidelines, underlining that “Individuals in mid to late life are at a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Our findings highlight the potential of high muscle strength in mitigating the risk of T2D, not only for the general population but also for those genetically predisposed to the disease. These results support existing public health recommendations advocating that adults engage in muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week to enhance disease prevention strategies.”
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