Abstract
Purpose
This study explored the association between occupational categories and muscle strength using handgrip strength (HGS) while considering sociodemographic and health-related factors in Korean men using a national survey.
Methods
Using cross-sectional data of 8380 men (59.9 ± 16.6 years of age), the occupational categories held the longest duration and HGS levels (normal vs. weak) were determined. Logistic regression was applied with adjustment for sociodemographic factors, work-related factors (working hours and schedule), and health-related factors (physical activity, sedentary time, resistance exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking status, chronic illness, subjective health status, weight category, metabolic syndrome, and protein intake).
Results
Weak HGS prevalence was lowest in male managerial or professional workers (1.5%) and highest in male skilled agricultural, forestry, fishery, or craft and the related trades workers (16.4%). Compared to male managerial or professional workers, the odds for weak HGS increased in male service/sales workers (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.45–3.99) and male manual workers [agricultural/forestry/fishery/craft and related trades workers, OR 2.94 (95% CI 1.78–4.83); equipment/machine operating/assembling workers, OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.05–2.71); and elementary workers, OR 3.43 (95% CI 1.95–6.05)] in the fully adjusted model. Regardless of age groups, income, working hours, strength exercise, and sedentary time levels, and chronic illness and metabolic syndrome status, male manual workers were more likely to have weak HGS compared to male non-manual workers.
Conclusion
Male manual workers may have a higher risk for weak muscle strength compared to male non-manual workers regardless of sociodemographic, work-related, and health-related factors.
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Change history
12 February 2021
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01653-7
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Funding
This work was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government, Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (CN) (NRF-2017S1A5B8066096).
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The author has no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Though the current study and the original KNHANES 2014–2017 were classified under the exemption category for ethical review in the Bioethics and Safety Act, the KNHANES 2018 was approved by the ethical review board of the Korea Centers for Disease Control (approval number: 2018-01-03-P-A). The Busan Paik Hospital Research Ethics Committee has confirmed that no ethical approval is required.
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A written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants in the original survey.
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KNHANES data can be requested through the following web site: http://knhanes.cdc.go.kr.
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Lee, K. The association between occupational categories and grip strength in Korean male workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 94, 567–574 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01635-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01635-1