Cohort characteristics by categories of handgrip strength and diagnosed diabetes
| Without diabetes | With diabetes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic characteristic | Overall | Low strength | Middle strength | High strength | Low strength | Middle strength | High strength |
| Total participants | 347,130 | 60,979 | 136,679 | 136,099 | 3,749 | 5,367 | 4,257 |
| Women | 188,171 (54.2) | 33,043 (54.2) | 75,350 (55.1) | 74,562 (54.8) | 1,410 (37.6) | 2,030 (37.8) | 1,776 (41.7) |
| Age (years) | 55.9 (8.1) | 55.9 (8.0) | 56.0 (8.1) | 55.4 (8.2) | 59.1 (7.2) | 59.4 (7.2) | 58.8 (7.2) |
| Deprivation index quintiles | |||||||
| Low | 120,852 (34.8) | 18,352 (30.1) | 47,745 (35.0) | 51,088 (37.5) | 810 (21.6) | 1,501 (28.0) | 1,356 (31.9) |
| Middle | 118,416 (34.1) | 19,981 (32.8) | 46,921 (34.3) | 47,215 (34.7) | 1,112 (29.7) | 1,743 (32.5) | 1,444 (33.9) |
| High | 107,862 (31.1) | 22,646 (37.1) | 42,013 (30.7) | 37,796 (27.8) | 1,827 (48.7) | 2,123 (39.5) | 1,457 (34.2) |
| Professional qualification | |||||||
| College or university degree | 118,754 (40.4) | 18,999 (38.5) | 46,573 (40.3) | 49,682 (41.9) | 908 (34.1) | 1,397 (34.0) | 1,195 (35.6) |
| A/AS levels or equivalent | 39,908 (13.6) | 6,714 (13.6) | 15,572 (13.5) | 16,313 (13.7) | 339 (12.7) | 567 (13.8) | 403 (12.0) |
| O level/GCSE or equivalent | 75,581 (25.7) | 13,054 (26.4) | 30,301 (26.2) | 29,464 (24.8) | 718 (27.0) | 1,144 (27.9) | 900 (26.8) |
| CSE or equivalent | 20,044 (6.8) | 3,926 (7.9) | 7,919 (6.9) | 7,531 (6.3) | 210 (7.8) | 251 (6.1) | 207 (6.1) |
| NVQ or HND or HNC or equivalent | 22,247 (7.6) | 3,778 (7.6) | 8,543 (7.4) | 8,821 (7.4) | 268 (10.1) | 438 (10.7) | 399 (11.9) |
| Other professional qualification | 17,424 (5.9) | 2,980 (6.0) | 6,691 (5.7) | 6,969 (5.9) | 221 (8.3) | 307 (7.5) | 256 (7.6) |
| Income | |||||||
| <£18,000 | 57,816 (19.2) | 12,637 (24.4) | 22,813 (19.2) | 18,798 (15.7) | 1,268 (40.6) | 1,377 (30.3) | 923 (25.3) |
| £18,000–51,999 | 157,608 (52.2) | 26,720 (51.7) | 62,401 (52.5) | 62,778 (52.4) | 1,434 (45.9) | 2,342 (51.6) | 1,933 (53.0) |
| >£52,000 | 86,251 (28.6) | 12,378 (23.9) | 33,623 (28.3) | 38,209 (31.9) | 425 (13.5) | 824 (18.1) | 792 (21.7) |
| Employment status | |||||||
| Paid or self-employed | 216,635 (62.9) | 36,259 (60.1) | 85,494 (63.1) | 88,582 (65.5) | 1,579 (42.8) | 2,502 (47.1) | 2,219 (52.5) |
| Retired | 104,497 (30.4) | 18,457 (30.6) | 41,648 (30.7) | 38,746 (28.7) | 1,556 (42.4) | 2,385 (44.8) | 1,705 (40.4) |
| Looking after home and/or family | 9,845 (2.9) | 1,728 (2.9) | 3,797 (2.8) | 4,026 (3.0) | 99 (2.6) | 106 (2.0) | 89 (2.1) |
| Unable to work because of sickness or disability | 5,269 (1.5) | 2,067 (3.4) | 1,537 (1.1) | 1,094 (0.8) | 296 (8.0) | 177 (3.3) | 98 (2.3) |
| Unemployed | 5,498 (1.6) | 1,339 (2.2) | 2,140 (1.6) | 1,683 (1.3) | 132 (3.6) | 116 (2.2) | 88 (2.1) |
| Unpaid or voluntary work | 1,568 (0.5) | 278 (0.5) | 591 (0.4) | 642 (0.5) | 15 (0.4) | 22 (0.4) | 20 (0.5) |
| Full- or part-time student | 929 (0.2) | 183 (0.3) | 336 (0.3) | 382 (0.2) | 10 (0.2) | 11 (0.2) | 7 (0.1) |
| Race/ethnicity | |||||||
| White | 328,088 (94.5) | 55,634 (91.2) | 130,014 (95.2) | 130,896 (96.2) | 2,955 (78.8) | 4,719 (87.9) | 3,870 (90.9) |
| South Asian | 6,601 (1.9) | 2,602 (4.3) | 2,245 (1.6) | 870 (0.6) | 478 (12.8) | 309 (5.8) | 98 (2.3) |
| Black | 5,930 (1.7) | 1,084 (1.8) | 1,938 (1.4) | 2,355 (1.7) | 160 (4.3) | 194 (3.6) | 199 (4.7) |
| Chinese | 1,221 (0.4) | 373 (0.6) | 512 (0.4) | 275 (0.2) | 24 (0.6) | 25 (0.5) | 12 (0.3) |
| Mixed background/other | 5,290 (1.5) | 1,287 (2.1) | 1,970 (1.4) | 1,703 (1.3) | 132 (3.5) | 120 (2.2) | 78 (1.8) |
| Smoking status | |||||||
| Never | 198,235 (57.1) | 36,187 (59.3) | 79,118 (57.9) | 76,381 (56.1) | 1,942 (51.8) | 2,659 (49.5) | 1,948 (45.8) |
| Former | 115,472 (33.3) | 18,597 (30.5) | 44,707 (32.7) | 46,654 (34.3) | 1,429 (38.1) | 2,205 (41.1) | 1,880 (44.2) |
| Current | 33,423 (9.6) | 6,195 (10.2) | 12,854 (9.4) | 13,064 (9.6) | 378 (10.1) | 503 (9.4) | 429 (10.0) |
| Obesity-related markers | |||||||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 27.2 (4.6) | 27.1 (4.7) | 26.8 (4.4) | 27.1 (4.4) | 31.1 (6.0) | 31.0 (5.7) | 31.2 (5.6) |
| BMI category | |||||||
| Underweight (<18.5 kg/m2) | 1,659 (0.5) | 448 (0.7) | 754 (0.5) | 439 (0.3) | 11 (0.3) | 4 (0.1) | 3 (0.1) |
| Normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2) | 118,469 (34.1) | 21,219 (34.8) | 49,991 (36.6) | 45,661 (33.6) | 485 (12.9) | 653 (12.2) | 460 (10.8) |
| Overweight (25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2) | 148,864 (42.9) | 25,418 (41.7) | 58,380 (42.7) | 60,315 (44.3) | 1,319 (35.2) | 1,912 (35.6) | 1,520 (35.7) |
| Obese (≥30.0 kg/m2) | 78,138 (22.5) | 13,894 (22.8) | 27,554 (20.2) | 29,684 (21.8) | 1,934 (51.6) | 2,798 (52.1) | 2,274 (53.4) |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 89.6 (13.1) | 89.6 (13.1) | 88.6 (12.8) | 89.3 (12.8) | 102.5 (14.5) | 101.8 (14.2) | 101.6 (14.1) |
| Central obesity | 108,502 (31.3) | 19,575 (32.1) | 39,323 (28.8) | 41,112 (30.2) | 2,401 (64.1) | 3,355 (62.5) | 2,736 (64.3) |
| Body fat (%) | 31.0 (8.5) | 31.5 (8.6) | 30.9 (8.4) | 30.6 (8.4) | 33.8 (8.6) | 33.4 (8.5) | 33.4 (8.6) |
| Fitness, physical activity, and sleep | |||||||
| Grip strength (kg) | 31.2 (11.0) | 21.3 (7.6) | 29.2 (8.3) | 37.7 (10.5) | 22.0 (7.4) | 30.9 (8.0) | 38.9 (10.1) |
| Total physical activity (MET-h/week) | 6.6 (9.1) | 5.9 (8.8) | 6.5 (9.0) | 7.0 (9.3) | 4.9 (8.4) | 5.6 (8.0) | 6.2 (8.9) |
| TV viewing (h/day) | 2.7 (1.6) | 2.8 (1.7) | 2.7 (1.5) | 2.6 (1.5) | 3.5 (2.0) | 3.3 (1.8) | 3.2 (1.7) |
| PC screen time (h/day) | 1.2 (1.3) | 1.2 (1.4) | 1.2 (1.3) | 1.2 (1.3) | 1.3 (1.6) | 1.3 (1.6) | 1.3 (1.4) |
| Sleep time category | |||||||
| Normal (7–9 h) | 259,008 (74.9) | 43,542 (71.8) | 102,490 (75.2) | 103,643 (76.3) | 2,480 (66.7) | 3,786 (70.9) | 3,067 (72.3) |
| Short sleepers (<7 h) | 82,776 (23.9) | 16,059 (26.5) | 32,219 (23.7) | 30,901 (22.8) | 1,108 (29.8) | 1,410 (26.4) | 1,079 (25.5) |
| Long sleepers (>9 h) | 4,190 (1.2) | 1,035 (1.7) | 1,542 (1.1) | 1,239 (0.9) | 132 (3.5) | 148 (2.7) | 94 (2.2) |
| Dietary intake | |||||||
| TE (kcal/day) | 2,118 (645) | 2,097 (666) | 2,109 (636) | 2,136 (641) | 2,080 (731) | 2,093 (684) | 2,128 (686) |
| Protein (% of TE) | 15.5 (3.6) | 15.5 (3.7) | 15.5 (3.6) | 15.6 (3.6) | 16.2 (4.2) | 16.2 (4.0) | 16.4 (3.7) |
| Carbohydrates (% of TE) | 47.2 (8.1) | 47.7 (8.4) | 47.2 (8.1) | 46.9 (8.0) | 47.0 (8.8) | 46.4 (8.3) | 45.9 (8.3) |
| Total fat (% of TE) | 32.0 (6.7) | 31.9 (6.8) | 32.0 (6.7) | 32.1 (6.6) | 32.7 (7.2) | 32.4 (7.0) | 32.8 (7.0) |
| Saturated fat (% of TE) | 12.3 (3.3) | 12.2 (3.4) | 12.2 (3.3) | 12.3 (3.3) | 12.4 (3.6) | 12.4 (3.5) | 12.4 (3.4) |
| Sugar (% of TE) | 22.5 (7.0) | 22.7 (7.3) | 22.5 (6.9) | 22.5 (6.8) | 20.4 (7.4) | 20.2 (6.8) | 20.0 (6.7) |
| Alcohol (% of TE) | 5.3 (6.5) | 4.9 (6.5) | 5.3 (6.5) | 5.4 (6.4) | 4.1 (6.7) | 4.9 (7.1) | 4.9 (6.9) |
| Red meat (portions/week) | 1.9 (1.4) | 1.9 (1.4) | 1.9 (1.4) | 1.9 (1.4) | 2.1 (1.7) | 2.1 (1.6) | 2.1 (1.5) |
| Processed meat (portions/week) | 1.9 (1.1) | 1.9 (1.1) | 1.9 (1.1) | 1.9 (1.0) | 2.0 (1.1) | 2.0 (1.1) | 2.0 (1.0) |
| Fruits and vegetables (g/day) | 330.4 (192.0) | 322.9 (201.9) | 327.3 (189.0) | 334.5 (188.5) | 346.8 (201.0) | 352.3 (204.5) | 361.8 (214.8) |
| Oily fish (portions/week) | 1.1 (1.0) | 1.1 (1.0) | 1.1 (1.0) | 1.1 (1.0) | 1.1 (1.2) | 1.2 (1.1) | 1.2 (1.1) |
| Health status | |||||||
| Duration of diabetes (years) | 0.2 (1.6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 (6.4) | 6.0 (5.8) | 5.5 (5.7) |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 139.7 (19.6) | 138,1 (19.6) | 139.2 (19.7) | 140.5 (19.5) | 142.8 (18.6) | 144.3 (18.1) | 145.3 (17.9) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 82.5 (10.7) | 81.7 (10.8) | 82.2 (10.7) | 83.0 (10.6) | 81.6 (10.0) | 82.5 (9.9) | 83.4 (10.0) |
| High blood pressure history | 79,937 (23.0) | 14,243 (23.4) | 29,264 (21.4) | 28,573 (21.0) | 2,224 (59.3) | 3,178 (59.2) | 2,455 (57.7) |
| Medication for cholesterol or blood pressure | |||||||
| None | 310,655 (89.5) | 54,200 (88.9) | 123,477 (90.3) | 123,690 (90.9) | 2,614 (69.7) | 3,761 (70.1) | 2,913 (68.4) |
| Cholesterol | 18,119 (5.2) | 3,184 (5.2) | 5,977 (4.4) | 5,461 (4.0) | 963 (25.7) | 1,393 (26.0) | 1,141 (26.8) |
| Insulin | 117 (0.04) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 (1.2) | 39 (0.7) | 27 (0.7) |
| Blood pressure | 18,356 (5.3) | 3,595 (5.9) | 7,225 (5.3) | 6,948 (5.1) | 172 (4.6) | 213 (3.9) | 203 (4.8) |
Data are n (%) for categorical variables or mean (SD) for continuous variables. Data were available for 210,064 participants. A/AS, advanced; CSE, Certificate of Secondary Education; GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education; HNC, Higher National Certificate; HND, Higher National Diploma; NVQ, National Vocational Qualification; O, ordinary; TE, total energy.