Handgrip Strength References for Middle-Age and Older Chinese Individuals

Prevalence of possible sarcopenia in community-dwelling older Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of possible sarcopenia and its association with other conditions in older adults in Bengbu, China.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional study of 1082 community-dwelling Chinese people aged at least 60 years from March to June 2022.

METHODS

Handgrip strength and information regarding associated conditions were collected. Possible sarcopenia was estimated based on handgrip strength with cut-off values (<28 kg in men; <18 kg in women) recommended by the Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia in 2019. Mann-Whitney U tests, χ² tests and binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore relationships between possible sarcopenia and associated conditions.

RESULTS

Possible sarcopenia was more prevalent in men (52.79%, n=246, age 79.43±7.33 years among men with possible sarcopenia) than in women (44.48%, n=274, age 78.90±7.71 years among women with possible sarcopenia). In men, possible sarcopenia positively correlated with high age (OR 2.658, 95% CI 1.758 to 4.019), physical inactivity (OR 2.779, 95% CI 1.646 to 4.691) and diabetes (OR 4.269, 95% CI 2.397 to 7.602), and negatively with hypertension (OR 0.586, 95% CI 0.384 to 0.893). The risk of possible sarcopenia in men decreased by 12.6% for every 1 kg/m² increase of body mass index (OR 0.874, 95% CI 0.817 to 0.935). In women, possible sarcopenia positively correlated with high age (OR 3.821, 95% CI 2.677 to 5.455), physical inactivity (OR 2.185, 95% CI 1.488 to 3.210) and arthritis (OR 2.076, 95% CI 1.411 to 3.056).

CONCLUSION

Possible sarcopenia is prevalent in older adults and the factors affecting possible sarcopenia are different in men and women. Health education about these target factors can be considered as a potential measure to prevent possible sarcopenia.

Reference Values for Handgrip Strength in the Basque Country Elderly Population

Simple Summary

Functional impairment is a growing global problem that increases with age and acute hospitalisations. Handgrip strength (HGS) is one of the tests used as a predictor of low skeletal muscle strength in the diagnosis of weakness. The aim of this study is to provide reference values of HGS in adults and older adults in the Basque Country by identifying cut-off points to measure weakness and compare the values with other populations. A health-promoting programme seems to be effective in obtaining better values as age increases with respect to the general population in the HGS test, delaying and even avoiding reaching the cut-off values for detecting weakness as a criterion for frailty. Despite the current findings available to health professionals for more effective detection of frailty, many of them have not been yet translated into clinical practice. Determining HGS values by population will allow to obtain clinically fast and effective cut-off values to detect weakness and probable risk in an ageing population.

Abstract

Strength training is currently the most recommended primary therapeutic strategy to prevent and reverse the decline of muscle mass, strength, and functional deterioration associated with age. The aim is to provide reference values of handgrip strength (HGS) in the Basque Country population and compare the values with other populations. A total of 1869 subjects from the health-promoting programme for adults and older adults run by the Bilbao City Council were assessed using HGS with a digital dynamometer and anthropometric data measured by Tanita to obtain the mean values according to age distribution. From the 1869 subjects, 87.5% were women and 12.5% men. The HGS was higher among men than women, 32.4 ± 6.6 versus 20.1 ± 4.7 kg, respectively, p < 0.001 at all ages. Weak HGS cut-off points by age groups ranged from 31.0 to 23.8 and from 18.9 to 12.4 in men and women, respectively. The sample data were compared (d, t, and α) with those of other populations in all age groups (group > 60 years at 95% df, p < 0.05). A health-promoting programme appears to be effective in the general population in obtaining better values in the HGS test as age increases.