Relationship of Handgrip Strength and Endurance Time With Body Mass Index in Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction: The sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and obesity are major health problems of current generation. High body mass index is directly related with high mortality rate, cardiovascular diseases, mental issues and difficulty in physical functioning. Normal weight and strength of muscle are indications of good health. Handgrip strength and endurance are the important parameters to assess the upper extremity muscular strength.

Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study in 400 medical students in Kathmandu Medical College, Bhaktapur (October 2021 to March 2022) with Institutional Review Committee approval (Reference no. 0106202102). The sample was collected by simple random sampling method. Height and weight were measured by Prestige stadiometer and body mass index was calculated. Student’s dominant hands grip strength and endurance time was measured by manual Grip Dynamometer. Data was analyzed by Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) software version 16 with Chi-square test.

Results:  Among 400 samples, female 217 (54.25%) and 183 (45.75%) were males. Female students with normal, overweight and pre-obese BMI had maximum and highly significant (p value = 0.00, 0.001 and 0.003 respectively) relationship with grip strength. Normal, pre-obese and obese male had highly significant relation with grip strength (p = 0.004, 0.00 and 0.002 respectively). Normal body mass index samples had maximum endurance time along with overweight male.

Conclusion: The normal body mass index samples had significant relation with hand grip strength and highest endurance time