Roundup: Grip Strength and Walking Speed May Help Signal High Stroke Risk; and More News

Weak Grip and Slow Walking May Signal Higher Stroke Risk, Researchers Find

Simple measures of muscle function, such as grip strength and walking speed, may help identify people at higher risk for stroke, according to new research published in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association.

The study analyzed health data from more than 480,000 adults in the United Kingdom and found that weaker muscles and slower walking pace were linked to a greater likelihood of having a stroke later in life.

Researchers Studied More Than 480,000 Adults

Researchers reviewed medical records from adults ages 37 to 73 who participated in the UK Biobank, a large long-term health database. None of the participants had a history of stroke at the start of the study. Over nearly 14 years of follow-up, more than 11,800 participants experienced a stroke.

The study focused on sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Researchers measured muscle strength using handgrip tests and evaluated walking pace based on participants’ self-reported speed. A slower walking pace and lower grip strength were both associated with a higher risk of stroke.

People with low muscle strength had a 30 percent higher risk of any type of stroke compared to those with normal muscle strength. They also had a 31 percent greater risk of ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain, and a 41 percent greater risk of hemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding in or around the brain.

Walking Pace Showed the Strongest Link

Researchers also found that lower grip strength alone was associated with a 7 percent higher chance of stroke. Walking pace showed an even stronger connection. Adults who described their walking speed as slow had a 64 percent higher risk of stroke compared to people who walked briskly.

Lu-sha Tong, M.D., a neurologist at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China and lead author of the study, said that physical function measures are not currently part of standard stroke risk assessments, even though they may reflect overall health.

“As people age, they often lose muscle strength and mass,” Dr. Tong said in the news release. “Weak muscles may be an early warning sign of a higher risk for stroke.”

Researchers believe muscle loss may reflect underlying health issues such as chronic inflammation, poor metabolism or reduced physical fitness, all of which can contribute to stroke risk.

Simple Screenings Could Help Prevention Efforts

The study also found that people with muscle loss who later experienced a stroke were more likely to die than stroke patients without muscle loss.

Stroke remains a major health concern in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, it is the fourth leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability.

While the findings do not prove that weak muscles directly cause stroke, researchers say simple screenings like grip-strength tests and walking assessments could become inexpensive tools to help identify people who may benefit from earlier prevention efforts, including exercise, healthy eating and management of blood pressure and cholesterol.

Large Study: Exercise May Help Smokers Quit and Reduce Cravings

A large new review of research suggests that exercise may help some people quit smoking and reduce cigarette cravings, adding support to the idea that physical activity can be a useful part of smoking cessation programs.

The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, analyzed data from 59 randomized controlled trials involving more than 9,000 adults. Randomized controlled trials are considered one of the most reliable types of medical research because participants are randomly assigned to different interventions.

Exercise Linked to Higher Quit Rates

Researchers examined whether exercise could help people stop smoking, reduce cigarette use, ease nicotine cravings, and improve mood or withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are the physical and emotional effects people may experience after stopping nicotine, including irritability, anxiety, and strong urges to smoke.

The review found that structured exercise programs modestly improved smoking quit rates. People participating in exercise training were 15 percent more likely to remain smoke-free continuously compared with those receiving standard care or no exercise intervention. They were also 21 percent more likely to report not smoking during the previous seven days at follow-up assessments.

In addition, participants in exercise programs smoked about two fewer cigarettes per day on average than those in comparison groups.

The strongest evidence involved aerobic exercise, which includes activities that raise heart rate and breathing, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Researchers found aerobic exercise appeared particularly helpful for supporting long-term smoking abstinence.

Short Workouts Reduced Cravings Quickly

The study also looked at “single-bout” exercise, meaning one short session of physical activity. These brief exercise sessions reduced cigarette cravings immediately afterward and for up to 30 minutes later. Higher-intensity exercise produced larger reductions in cravings.

Researchers measured cravings using standardized psychological scales that assess the urge to smoke. The review found moderate-to-large short-term improvements after exercise, although the benefits did not appear to last over longer periods without continued activity.

Evidence for other forms of exercise — such as resistance training, yoga, or non-aerobic exercise — was more limited. Some studies suggested potential benefits, but there was not enough data to draw firm conclusions.

More Research Needed on Vaping

Importantly, the researchers noted that none of the studies examined vaping or e-cigarette cessation. As vaping becomes more common, especially among younger adults, the authors said more research is needed to determine whether exercise can also help people quit nicotine delivered through e-cigarettes.

The authors emphasized that exercise is not a stand-alone cure for nicotine addiction. Instead, it may serve as a low-risk behavioral tool that complements other smoking cessation methods such as counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, or prescription medications.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death worldwide. While quitting can be difficult, the findings suggest that adding regular physical activity — even short exercise sessions during moments of craving — may improve the chances of success for some smokers.

Artificial Intelligence Analyzes Muscle, Fat Composition to Predict Health Risks

A new study suggests that how your body is built—specifically your muscle quality and fat distribution—may reveal far more about your health than traditional measures like body mass index (BMI).

Researchers analyzed whole-body MRI scans from over 66,000 adults using artificial intelligence (AI) to create one of the most detailed maps yet of human body composition. Their findings, published in Radiology, highlight that both the amount and quality of muscle, not just fat, play a major role in predicting disease risk.

Why BMI Falls Short

BMI has long been used to estimate health risk based on height and weight. But it doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle or show where fat is stored.

For example, visceral fat—fat stored deep around organs—is more harmful than fat under the skin. BMI cannot capture this difference, which limits its usefulness.

What the AI Found

Using advanced imaging and deep learning, researchers measured several key components:

• Visceral fat (fat around organs)
• Subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin)
• Skeletal muscle (muscle attached to bones)
• Intramuscular fat (fat within muscle tissue, reflecting muscle quality)

They then compared individuals against others of the same age, sex, and height using a standardized scoring system.

Key Findings:

• High visceral fat was linked to a 2.26× higher risk of diabetes
• High fat within muscles was tied to a 1.54× higher risk of heart problems
• Low muscle mass was associated with a 44 percent higher risk of death from any cause

One of the most important takeaways of the study is that not all muscle is equal.

Muscle filled with fat (poor-quality muscle) may not function well, even if overall muscle size appears normal. This “hidden” fat inside muscle is something BMI and common tools can’t easily detect.

A More Personalized Health Tool

The researchers created a reference system that adjusts body composition for age, sex, and height. This allows doctors to compare a person’s body makeup to peers more accurately.

They also released an open-source calculator that can analyze existing MRI or CT scans—meaning patients may not need new imaging.

What This Means for Patients

This research could improve how doctors:

• Predict risk for diabetes and heart disease
• Monitor patients on weight-loss medications
• Evaluate cancer outcomes and treatment effects

It also highlights an important shift, meaning that health is not just about weight. BMI may soon take a backseat as AI-driven tools provide a clearer picture of health. By focusing on fat location and muscle quality, doctors can better identify risks earlier—and tailor care more precisely.

As imaging technology becomes more advanced and widely used, this “hidden layer” of health data could become part of routine care.