Dietary diversity, uric acid and handgrip strength in urban older adults: a cross-sectional mediation study
In 1,613 urban adults aged 60 and older, higher dietary diversity was associated with greater handgrip strength and lower risk of low grip strength; serum uric acid partly mediated this association, significantly only in men. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The cross-sectional study included 1,613 adults aged 60 or older from the Anhui Urban Aging Cohort and measured dietary diversity, fasting metabolic indicators and handgrip strength. [1]
Higher dietary diversity score was associated with higher absolute and relative handgrip strength and lower risk of low handgrip strength, and uric acid mediated part of this association overall. [1]
The mediating effect of uric acid was significant only in males, and the authors suggest the null findings in women may reflect a complex association pattern. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional study with mediation analysis (abstract).
- Population / context
- 1,613 urban community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older from the Anhui Urban Aging Cohort.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- August 18, 2026
Cross-sectional cohort of 1,613 urban older adults
This cross-sectional study included 1,613 adults aged 60 or older from the Anhui Urban Aging Cohort. Dietary diversity was measured with a validated food frequency questionnaire to calculate a dietary diversity score. Fasting blood samples provided metabolic indicators: serum uric acid, the triglyceride-glucose index, total cholesterol, mean arterial pressure and a metabolic score. Muscle strength was assessed as absolute handgrip strength, BMI-adjusted relative handgrip strength and low handgrip strength defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. Because the design is cross-sectional, it shows associations at one point in time, not cause and effect.
Supporting source [1]
Higher diversity linked to stronger grip; uric acid partly mediates
Higher dietary diversity score was associated with higher absolute handgrip strength (β = 0.366), higher relative handgrip strength (β = 0.017) and lower risk of low handgrip strength (odds ratio 0.875). The score was inversely associated with uric acid (β = -2.946). Higher uric acid was associated with lower relative handgrip strength (β = -0.0003) and higher risk of low handgrip strength (odds ratio 1.002). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed an adverse effect of uric acid above 363 μmol/L on relative handgrip strength and low-grip-strength risk in males. Mediation analysis attributed 5.64% (relative handgrip strength) and 3.79% (low handgrip strength) of the total effect to uric acid overall.
Supporting source [1]
Mediation significant only in men; women showed null findings
The mediating effect of uric acid was significant only in males, with proportions mediated of 9.22% for relative handgrip strength and 8.67% for low handgrip strength. The authors note that the null findings in women may reflect a complex association pattern. They conclude that dietary diversity was associated with muscle strength in these urban community-dwelling older adults and that sex-specific metabolic mechanisms should be considered in nutritional strategies against sarcopenia. The abstract reports associations only; it does not establish that changing diet or uric acid levels would improve strength.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a cross-sectional study, so it cannot show that dietary diversity or uric acid causes changes in muscle strength. Findings are limited to urban community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older in one cohort, and the mediation proportions are small.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Chu X, Zhao Y, Wang X, Ruan Y, Wang L, Wang F, Liu G, Yu D, Liu K, Tao F, Ruan L. · europepmc.org · August 18, 2026