Table 2. Characteristics of participants according to handgrip strength levels measured in late life (in 1988) and in midlife (in 1973–1974).
| Risk factors at 1988 or 1973–1974 | Overall | Handgrip strength levels | P for trend | ||
| Low | Medium | High | |||
| Late life (in 1988) | |||||
| Number of subjects, men/women | 449/606 | 144/177 | 139/191 | 166/238 | |
| Age, years | 68 (6) | 68 (6) | 68 (6) | 67 (6) | 0.20 |
| Men, % | 42.6 | 44.9 | 42.1 | 41.1 | 0.31 |
| Education ≤6 years, % | 11.0 | 12.3 | 8.2 | 12.3 | 0.92 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 139 (23) | 139 (23) | 140 (22) | 139 (23) | 0.93 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 76 (11) | 75 (10) | 76 (11) | 77 (11) | 0.04 |
| Antihypertensive medication, % | 25.0 | 25.2 | 25.5 | 24.5 | 0.81 |
| Diabetes mellitus, % | 14.5 | 17.8 | 14.2 | 12.1 | 0.03 |
| Serum total cholesterol, mmol/L | 5.40 (1.13) | 5.31 (1.15) | 5.36 (1.20) | 5.49 (1.06) | 0.03 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 22.4 (3.2) | 21.6 (3.2) | 22.4 (3.1) | 23.0 (3.1) | <0.01 |
| Electrocardiogram abnormalities, % | 21.0 | 23.4 | 20.6 | 19.6 | 0.22 |
| History of stroke, % | 5.3 | 9.0 | 3.9 | 3.5 | <0.01 |
| Smoking habits, % | 29.1 | 32.2 | 29.7 | 25.9 | 0.09 |
| Alcohol consumption, % | 27.5 | 30.8 | 25.7 | 26.3 | 0.22 |
| Regular exercise ≥3 times/wk, % | 14.3 | 11.8 | 14.5 | 16.1 | 0.11 |
| Midlife (in 1973–1974) | |||||
| Number of subjects, men/women | 350/485 | 112/142 | 113/173 | 125/170 | |
| Age, years | 53 (6) | 53 (6) | 53 (6) | 54 (6) | 0.45 |
| Men, % | 41.9 | 44.1 | 39.5 | 42.4 | 0.72 |
| Education ≤6 years, % | 10.9 | 12.2 | 11.5 | 9.1 | 0.25 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 134 (22) | 131 (22) | 135 (22) | 135 (22) | 0.06 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 78 (12) | 76 (11) | 78 (12) | 79 (12) | <0.01 |
| Antihypertensive medication, % | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 6.8 | 0.51 |
| Diabetes mellitus, % | 1.6 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.90 |
| Serum total cholesterol, mmol/L | 4.89 (0.84) | 4.83 (0.81) | 4.94 (0.86) | 4.90 (0.83) | 0.36 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 22.4 (3.0) | 21.5 (3.1) | 22.5 (2.7) | 23.1 (3.0) | <0.01 |
| Electrocardiogram abnormalities, % | 12.3 | 14.2 | 9.8 | 13.2 | 0.79 |
| History of stroke, % | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.34 |
| Smoking habits, % | 36.4 | 36.6 | 35.7 | 36.9 | 0.92 |
| Alcohol consumption, % | 29.8 | 32.3 | 30.4 | 27.1 | 0.18 |
| Regular exercise ≥3 times/wk, % | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
BMI, body mass index; NA, not available.
Values are represented as the mean (standard deviation, or frequency).