Association between metabolic heterogeneity of obesity and the progression of muscle strength decline: a prospective cohort study
Background Obesity exhibits metabolic heterogeneity, but its impact on muscle strength decline remains unclear. Methods Based on 7772 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, individuals were classified into 4 body mass index (BMI)-metabolic phenotypes (metabolically hea...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
20 January 2026
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| In: |
The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences, medical sciences
Year: 2026, Volume: 81, Issue: 3, Pages: 1-9 |
| ISSN: | 1758-535X |
| DOI: | 10.1093/gerona/glag014 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glag014
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| Author Notes: | Zhenzhen Liang, PhD, Wei Jin, MMed, Sheng Liu, MMed, Lunde Zhao, MMed, Changen Duan, MMed, Qingyu Yin, MMed, Jihang Jin, MMed, Li Huang, PhD, Huajian Chen, PhD |
| Summary: | Background Obesity exhibits metabolic heterogeneity, but its impact on muscle strength decline remains unclear. Methods Based on 7772 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, individuals were classified into 4 body mass index (BMI)-metabolic phenotypes (metabolically healthy normal weight [MHNW], metabolically unhealthy normal weight [MUNW], metabolically healthy overweight/obesity [MHOO], metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity [MUOO]). Grip strength was used to assess muscle strength, and linear mixed-effects models examined phenotype-specific associations with muscle decline. Results Baseline muscle strength was significantly lower in the MUOO group compared to MHNW. Longitudinal analysis showed accelerated muscle loss in the MUOO group across low (beta = -0.0164), medium (beta = -0.0091), and high (beta = -0.0159) muscle strength levels (p < .05). Transition analysis showed that participants transitioning from MUOO to MHNW demonstrated an additional annual decrease in muscle strength of 0.0465 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.0612 to -0.0318), compared with those maintaining stable MHNW. In the low muscle strength group, the stable MUNW (beta = -0.0140), MHOO (beta = -0.0195), and MUOO (beta = -0.0263) groups all delayed recovery (all p < .05). In the medium muscle strength group, stable MUOO accelerated decline (beta = -0.0091, 95% CI: -0.0182 to -0.0000), whereas decline was significantly slowed in those transitioning from MUOO to MUNW (beta = 0.0329, 95% CI = 0.0135 to 0.0523). Conclusions Both BMI and metabolic status influence muscle strength trajectories. Maintaining normal weight and metabolic health is essential for recovery in low-strength individuals, while weight loss may help mitigate decline in those with medium strength. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 05.05.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1758-535X |
| DOI: | 10.1093/gerona/glag014 |