Abstract
Reference values for hand grip strength in Japanese community-dwelling elderly independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) were calculated by meta-analysis. Papers reporting data on hand grip strength in elderly Japanese adults ≥60 years of age and independent in ADLs were retrieved from electronic databases. Data were extracted from the selected papers and the weighted mean for hand grip strength by sex was calculated by random effect model. The association of hand grip strength with age and body weight was also analyzed using meta-regression analysis. Data for 15,784 individuals (5216 men and 10,568 women; mean age 67.0-79.8 years) were extracted from 97 sets of data from 33 papers. The weighted mean for hand grip strength was calculated as 33.11 kg [95 % CI 32.27-33.96] in men and 20.92 kg [95 % CI 20.45-21.39] in women. A significant negative correlation was also seen between hand grip strength and age. The mean hand grip strength of elderly people calculated in this study can be used as a reference value for the hand grip strength of Japanese community-dwelling elderly who are independent in ADLs. However, age needs to be considered in reference values for hand grip strength.
Highlights
Hand grip strength measurements are simple and inexpensive, and are widely used as a means of evaluating muscle strength in the elderly
The mean hand grip strength of elderly people calculated in this study can be used as a reference value for the hand grip strength of Japanese communitydwelling elderly who are independent in ADLs
Age needs to be considered in reference values for hand grip strength
Summary
Hand grip strength measurements are simple and inexpensive, and are widely used as a means of evaluating muscle strength in the elderly. Hand grip strength is used in elderly adults as a screening index for sarcopenia, which is defined as a decline in skeletal muscle mass and muscle function [1, 2]. Poor hand grip strength is associated with mortality [3, 4] and disability [4, 5] in older adults and has been found to be a useful index for frailty [6, 7]. Poor hand grip strength may, serve as a useful piece of information regarding the health of elderly people. Appropriate reference values to serve as evaluation criteria are required to identify poor hand grip strength
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