Table 1.

Mechanisms by which muscular strength may improve prognosis of CVD.

Higher muscular strength levels seem to be associated with:
Lower total and abdominal adiposity
Lower weight and adiposity gain
Healthier levels of MetS components (BP, WC, TGs, glucose, HDL cholesterol) and lower incidence of MetS
Lower risk of developing HTN (some evidence in prehypertensive individuals)
Lower insulin resistance, HOMA (evidence in adolescents)
Lower chronic inflammation (evidence in children, adolescents and elderly people)

Abbreviations: BP, blood pressure; CVD, cardiovascular disease; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; HOMA, homeostasis model assessment; HTN, hypertension; MetS, metabolic syndrome; TGs, triglycerides; WC, waist circumference.