Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul;25(4):e70057.
doi: 10.1111/psyg.70057.

From Breath to Strength: Does Mindfulness Improve Handgrip Strength Among Older Adults in India? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

T Muhammad  1 , Manacy Pai  2 , Waad K Ali  3 , Boadi Agyekum  4 , Shobhit Srivastava  5
Affiliations

From Breath to Strength: Does Mindfulness Improve Handgrip Strength Among Older Adults in India? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

T Muhammad et al. Psychogeriatrics. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The integration of mindfulness activities into the daily lives of older adults has demonstrated profound benefits for their overall well-being and vitality. However, evidence on how mindfulness correlates with muscle strength in older adults remains limited. To fill this gap, we explored the association between mindfulness activities and handgrip strength (HGS) in older adults in India. We also examined whether this association varies by sex.

Methods: We employed a propensity score matching technique, leveraging data from the nationally representative Longitudinal Aging Study in India (2017-2018), comprising 27 071 adults aged 60 and above. HGS was measured using a handheld Smedley Hand Dynamometer while participants self-reported their engagement in mindfulness activities.

Results: Seventeen % of the men and 11.5% of the women engaged in mindfulness activities. Analysis of the matched sample revealed that the average treatment effect (ATE) that represents the average effect across the entire population was 1.28 kg for men and 0.60 kg for women, indicating that, on average, participation in mindfulness activities was associated with modest improvements in HGS for both sexes. Further, in the PSM matched regression models, for men, engagement in mindfulness activities was consistently associated with higher HGS across all models including the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT), on the untreated (ATU), and ATE, with the largest effect seen in the ATE model (β = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.77-1.40). For women, the association was weaker and significant only in the unmatched and ATE models.

Conclusions: Engagement in mindfulness activities was associated with modest but meaningful improvements in HGS among older adults in India, with the associations being much more pronounced in older Indian men. These findings underscore the significance of integrating mindfulness practices into public health initiatives aimed at promoting healthier aging.

Keywords: India; aging; handgrip strength; mindfulness activities.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Histogram of handgrip strength (HGS) stratified by sex.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Balance plot before and after propensity matching, and overlap plot for propensity matching, for men, women, and total sample.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Moss A. S., Reibel D. K., Greeson J. M., et al., “An Adapted Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction Program for Elders in a Continuing Care Retirement Community: Quantitative and Qualitative Results From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial,” Journal of Applied Gerontology 34 (2015): 518–538, 10.1177/0733464814559411. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kennedy A. B. and Resnick P. B., “Mindfulness and Physical Activity,” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 9 (2015): 221–223, 10.1177/1559827614564546. - DOI
    1. Yıldız M. K. and Orak O. S., “The Effect of the Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction Program on the Level of Perceived Stress and Geriatric Depression in Older Adults: A Randomised Controlled Study,” Psychogeriatrics 23 (2023): 261–272, 10.1111/psyg.12929. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Young L. and Baime M. J., “Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction: Effect on Emotional Distress in Older Adults,” Complementary Health Practice Review 15 (2010): 59–64, 10.1177/1533210110387687. - DOI
    1. Zou L., Zhang Y. J., Yang L., et al., “Are Mindful Exercises Safe and Beneficial for Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” Journal of Clinical Medicine 8 (2019): 628, 10.3390/jcm8050628. - DOI - PMC - PubMed