Reduced muscular strength among Canadians aged 60 to 79: Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2007 to 2013

Abstract

Background: Reduced muscular strength is associated with an increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality, heart attack and stroke. At older ages, reduced strength is associated with impaired mobility, risk of falls, and disability. Various criteria are used to determine reduced strength.

Data and methods: Data on grip strength among 3,181 respondents aged 60 to 79 from the 2007 to 2013 Canadian Health Measures Survey were used to calculate the prevalence of reduced strength based on sex-specific percentile and t-score cut-points and cut-points of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Logistic regression was used to identify significant associations between reduced strength and mobility, disability and self-rated health.

Results: Based on stricter criteria, the prevalence of reduced strength among household residents aged 60 to 79 ranged from 3% to 5%; based on less strict criteria, the prevalence ranged from 10% to 18%. Compared with people with normal strength, those with reduced strength had higher odds of impaired mobility (ranging from 3.40 to 8.33, depending on the cut-point), poor or fair self-rated health (2.19 to 4.20), and moderate-to-severe disability (2.21 to 2.60).

Interpretation: Estimates of the prevalence of reduced grip strength varied by cut-point. Reduced strength was significantly associated with impaired mobility, moderate-to-severe disability, and poor or fair self-rated health. Further research is required to determine if associations between reduced strength and other health outcomes vary by cut-point.

Keywords: Grip strength; muscle weakness; reduced muscle strength; sarcopenia.