Fig. 1

Metabolic and inflammatory markers across the functional strength groups (n = 627). Differences between women and men for functional strength groups in (A) Body Mass Index (BMI), (B) Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), (C) C-reactive protein (CRP), and (D) Interleukin-6 (IL-6). P-values were calculated using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test for overall comparison with FDR correction for multiple testing and Wilcoxon test with FDR correction for multiple testing for comparison with the reference group HH (significance cut-off points: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001). HH, high sports activity and high handgrip strength; HM, high sports activity and medium handgrip strength; HL, high sports activity and low handgrip strength; LH, low sports activity and high handgrip strength; LM, low sports activity and medium handgrip strength; LL, low sports activity and low handgrip strength.