ArticleBMJ open2022
Is grip strength linked to body composition and cardiovascular risk markers in primary schoolchildren? Cross-sectional data from three African countries.
Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Handgrip and Pinch Grip Strength as Functional Indicators of Pediatric Malnutrition and Early Response to Nutritional Therapy: A Preliminary Single-Center Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Fat-Free Mass Predictions From Anthropometrics in South African Prepubertal Children.Journal of paediatrics and child health · 2026Article
- Risk prediction of mechanical complications in acute myocardial infarction patients with prior malignancy.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Hand grip strength, vitamin D status, and diets as predictors of bone health in 6-12 years old school children.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2023Observational
- Article
- Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, Weight Status, and Body Composition among South African Primary Schoolchildren.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
25 authors at 7 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesMuscular strength represents a specific component of health-related fitness. Hand grip strength (HGS) is used as an indicator for musculoskeletal fitness in children. HGS can also be used as a marker of cardiometabolic risk, but most available HGS data are derived from Western high-income countries. Therefore, this study examines whether HGS is associated with body composition and markers of cardiovascular risk in children from three sub-Saharan African countries.
designCross-sectional study.
settingPublic primary schools (grade 1-4) in Taabo (Côte d'Ivoire), Gqeberha (South Africa) and Ifakara (Tanzania).
participantsData from 467 children from Côte d'Ivoire (210 boys, 257 girls), 864 children from South Africa (429 boys, 435 girls) and 695 children from Tanzania (334 boys, 361 girls) were analysed. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Body composition (assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis) was the primary outcome. Cardiovascular risk markers were considered as secondary outcome. Blood pressure was measured with an oscillometric monitor, and blood markers (cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin) via Afinion point-of-care testing. HGS (independent variable) was assessed with a hydraulic hand dynamometer. Inferential statistics are based on mixed linear regressions and analyses of covariance.
resultsAcross all study sites, higher HGS was associated with lower body fat, higher muscle mass and higher fat-free mass (
conclusionsHGS assessment is popular due to its simplicity, feasibility, practical utility and high reliability of measurements. This is one of the first HGS studies with children from sub-Saharan Africa. There is a great need for further studies to examine whether our findings can be replicated, to develop reference values for African children, to establish links to other health outcomes, and to explore whether HGS is associated with later development of cardiovascular risk markers. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN29534081.
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