Substantial evidence supports an association between physical #exercises and #hypertension. However, the role of muscle #strength, such as hand grip strength (HGS) and back muscle strength (BMS), remains unclear in this relationship. This study investigated whether low BMS and HGS accelerated incident hypertension in a population-based prospective study. A total 3,038 non-hypertensive subjects aged 40-69 years were followed-up for 18 years. In the analysis, the relationships between absolute and relative-muscle strength (relative-body mass index (BMI), weight, weight2/3, and waist circumference (WC)), and incident hypertension were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. In multivariate analysis, weak strength of below -1.5 SD BMI and WC relative-BMS (BMI-BMS and WC-BMS), except absolute BMS, weight-, and weight2/3 relative-BMS, was associated with higher risk of incident hypertension (HR = 1.264, P = 0.050 and HR = 1.405, P = 0.003, respectively). Relative-BMS quartiles, except absolute-BMS quartiles, showed a significant trend of increased risk of incident hypertension as BMS decreased (Trend P < 0.05). Weak HGS, based Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) and Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) criteria, was also associated with higher risk of incident hypertension (HR = 1.679, P = 0.002 and HR = 1.515, P = 0.004, respectively). Weak HGS below -1.5 SD was associated with higher risk of incident hypertension in absolute HGS, BMI-, and WC relative-HGS (HR = 1.476, P = 0.001, HR = 1.374, P = 0.008, and HR = 1.530, P < 0.001, respectively). Relative-HGS quartiles, except absolute HGS, showed similar significant trend (Trend P < 0.001). In this study, we found that the BMS and HGS were an independent risk factor for the incident hypertension.
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