Healthy Eating Index-2015 Is Associated with Grip Strength among the US Adult Population

Abstract

The Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) was designed to reflect adherence to the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The study aims to examine the association between HEI-2015 and grip strength in a nationally representative sample of the U.S. adult population. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of 2011–2014. Low grip strength was defined as <35.5 kg for men and <20 kg for women. HEI-2015 was computed from two days of 24-h dietary recalls and comprised 13 components. Each component was scored on the density out of 1000 calories and summed to a total score divided into quartiles. Weighted logistic regressions examined the study aim while controlling for associated covariates. The sample included 9006 eligible participants, of those, 14.4% (aged 20+ years), and 24.8% (aged ≥50 years) had low grip strength. Mean (±SD) HEI-2015 total score was 54.2 ± 13.6 and in the lowest and highest quartiles 37.3 ± 5.1 and 72.0 ± 6.5, respectively. In the multivariable model, participants in the highest vs. lowest HEI-2015 quartile had 24% lower odds of having low grip strength (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60–0.96). Specifically, participants who met the DGA for protein intakes, whole grains, greens and beans, vegetables, or whole fruits had 20–35% lower odds of having low grip strength than those who did not. Higher compliance to the DGA might reduce the risk for low grip strength as a proxy measure for sarcopenia among U.S. adults, particularly adequate intakes of proteins, whole grains, greens and beans, vegetables, and whole fruits.

Lower extremity function and subsequent risk of cardiovascular incidence among the elderly in China: evidence from a nationwide survey

“…An epidemiological study [30] found that both possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia were associated with higher stroke risk among middle-aged and older Chinese adults. The reduction of muscle strength or sarcopenia in the elderly will lead to a series of physiological changes, including but not limited to oxidative stress, metabolic abnormalities, etc., and these abnormalities may be the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to stroke [31,32]. The ndings supported the value of LEF assessed by the SPPB as a stroke-predictive tool in Asian older people and suggested that maintaining enough LEF could be bene cial for the prevention of stroke for older adults.…”

The association between the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) score and body composition among Iranian soccer players and referees: a cross-sectional study

“…The main finding of the present study was that a significant association between the HEI-2015 score and different parameters of body composition in male soccer players and referees was found; however, we were not able to find such an association among female soccer players or referees. While some studies have found non-significant associations between HEI scores with measures of body composition (24,42) , other studies have found significant associations (25)(26)(27)(28) , highlighting the equivocality in the literature. As the present study was conducted during the early stage of the 2019-20 competitive season, the pre-season training or preparedness for the main season may, at least partly, explain broadly null findings between the HEI-2015 score and different measures of body composition in the present study.…”

“…Several studies have been published on the association of single nutrients or energy and macronutrient intake and the performance of athletic populations (20)(21)(22) . Although several studies investigated the association between the HEI and body composition among children (23,24) and healthy nonathletic adults (25)(26)(27)(28) , to the best of our knowledge, no single study has investigated the association of the HEI-2015 score with body composition among both male and female soccer players and referees before. Different genetics of Iranians, Iranian traditional dishes and differences in their cooking methods and also higher physical activity level and nutritional knowledge among athletic v. non-athletic populations (29)(30)(31) are among key determinants that can affect body composition and distinguish athletic and non-athletic populations and these differences clarify the novelty of the present study.…”

Association of diet quality with hand grip strength weakness and asymmetry in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort

“…Nutrition has long been considered important for maintaining muscle strength. In a cross-sectional study of a US adult population, the highest quartile of Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) was associated with a 24 % lower risk of having low HGS compared with the lowest quartile of the study population (27) . Another US study used three indices to evaluate diet quality and found that those in the highest quintile of diet scores had 53 % lower odds of frailty and 25 % lower odds of pre-frailty compared with the lowest quintile (28) .…”

“…This approach was illustrated by a systematic review of prospective cohort studies, which showed that high adherence to the Mediterranean and Nordic diet was associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia (31) . The Mediterranean and Nordic diet are both characterised by a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, wholegrain products, and plant oils, a low consumption of red meat, and low to moderate intake of alcohol (27) .…”