Increasing muscular strength to improve cardiometabolic risk factors

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of worldwide death, accounting for significant morbidity, mortality, disability, and reduced quality of life. The global prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity, has grown exponentially in the last decades, particularly in low-medium income countries, and it's projected to increase rapidly in the coming years as the population progressively ages, leading to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated mortality. In fact, data from the global burden of disease study shows that CV mortality, associated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and years of life lost (YLL) have increased steadily, nearly doubling from 1990 to 2019.

Recent evidence proves the existence of an inverse association between hand grip strength (HGS), as a proxy for global muscle strength, with all-cause mortality, CV mortality, and the development of several chronic diseases. These associations have been demonstrated recurringly across the entire lifespan, beginning in childhood, and carrying on throughout adult life. Mounting evidence strongly indicates that HGS is an early predictor of chronic disease in premorbid populations and a therapeutic target for CVD prevention. Recent clinical trials have consistently shown that resistance exercise, which increases strength and potentially muscle mass, significantly improves the control of known CVD risk factors, reduces the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular mortality.

In this review, we explore the latest evidence regarding the association between low muscle strength and diverse metabolic alterations, along with the interventions that could improve cardiometabolic risk factors, while simultaneously increasing muscle fitness.