Waist Circumference and Handgrip Strength as Potential Nursing Vital Signs in Type 2 Diabetes: A Preliminary Assessment

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between muscle function, dietary quality, body composition markers, and metabolic status in ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes. The study sought to validate low-cost tools, such as handgrip strength and waist circumference, as potential “nursing vital signs” for metabolic risk stratification. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Muscle function was assessed through handgrip strength (dynamometry) and metabolic status via the HOMA-IR index. Visceral adiposity was estimated using waist circumference and the Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP); dietary quality was evaluated with the Spanish Healthy Eating Index (IASE), and cellular health through the phase angle (PhA) obtained by electrical bioimpedance. Non-parametric tests and Spearman correlations were applied due to the non-normal distribution of the data. Conclusions: In this ambulatory diabetic population, waist circumference emerged as a practical and potent surrogate for insulin resistance burden. Although metabolic dysfunction was not directly associated with dietary quality or phase angle, a high prevalence of probable sarcopenia (36.1%) and poor dietary quality (77.8%) were detected. The implementation of non-invasive tools like waist circumference and handgrip strength in nursing consultations could optimize early risk stratification and allow for more targeted lifestyle interventions.