Abstract
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the independent associations of walking speed (WS) and hand grip strength (HGS) with the risk of hypertension in older adults. METHODS: We analyzed data from 1890 older adults participating in a Korean community-based cohort study. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg, self-reported physician diagnosis, or current antihypertensive medication use. WS was measured using a 4-m walking test (m/s), and HGS was assessed with a hydraulic hand dynamometer (kg/BMI). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for potential confounders including age and gender. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding variables, participants in the high WS group had a 46% lower odds of hypertension compared with those in the low WS group (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.29-0.94). Notably, among participants with low insulin resistance, higher WS was associated with a markedly reduced risk of hypertension (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.14-0.85). Additionally, compared with the WS low/HGS low group, those in the WS high/HGS low and WS high/HGS high groups demonstrated a 55% (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.22-0.92) and 54% (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.23-0.95) lower odds of hypertension, respectively, with differences observed according to insulin resistance status. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that WS is an effective predictor of hypertension risk in older adults, particularly among individuals with lower insulin resistance.