Walking Speed and Hand Grip Strength as Predictors of Hypertension Risk in Older Adults: The Impact of Insulin Resistance

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.