Nativity Differences in the Relationship Between Handgrip Strength and Cognitive Impairment in Older Mexican Americans over 20 Years of Follow-up

Purpose: To examine nativity differences in the relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) and cognitive impairment among Mexican Americans aged ≥ 65 years with normal or high cognitive function at baseline over a 20-year period.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of 2,155 non-institutionalized Mexican Americans aged ≥ 65 years from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly) who scored ≥ 21 in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline. Measures included socio-demographics, body mass index, medical conditions, depressive symptoms, physical function, disability, HGS quartiles (sex-adjusted), and MMSE. We used generalized estimating equation models to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of cognitive impairment (MMSE < 21) as a function of HGS quartile by nativity and adjusted for covariates.

Results: US-born and foreign-born participants in the 4 quartile (highest) of HGS at baseline had lower odds of cognitive impairment over time compared with those in the 1 (lowest) HGS quartile (OR=0.95, 95% CI=0.90-0.99 and OR=0.93, 95% CI=0.89-0.98, respectively), after controlling for all covariates. When we analyzed HGS quartiles as time-varying, we found that US-born participants in the 3 and 4 HGS quartile had 25% and 30% lower odds of cognitive impairment, respectively, while foreign-born participants in the 3 and 4 HGS quartile had 27% and 49% lower odds of cognitive impairment over time, respectively, after controlling for all covariates.

Conclusion: Foreign-born older Mexican Americans who performed high in HGS experienced 7% lower odds of cognitive impairment over time compared with US-born older Mexican Americans.