Age-associated Rate of Decline of Grip Strength in Adults: NHANES (2011-2014)

Research Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the age-associated rate of decline in grip strength in adults aged 30 years and older (∆kg/year), ∆kg/5-year, ∆kg/10-year), (2) examine sex differences in the rate of decline, and (3) explore differences in the rate of decline among different racial/ethnic groups.

Design: This is a cross-sectional, observational study.

Setting: General community.

Participants: Observed hand-grip strength data for both hands were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 database, comprising 7,328 non-institutionalized participants aged 30 to 80 years.

Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: The muscle strength/grip test component measured isometric grip strength using a Takei Digital handgrip dynamometer. Best values (best from 3 trials) of the dominant hand were determined. The ‘Y2-Y1 rate of change’ (in kg/year) was the grip strength difference between consecutive observations. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to estimate the constant rate of decline.

Results: The decline in handgrip strength varied by sex, with a consistent rate of decline observed as age increased. In male adults, the annual decline rate of the handgrip strength was estimated at 0.353 kg/year, 1.742 kg per 5 years, and 3.620 kg per 10 years. Conversely, in female adults, the annual decline rate of the handgrip strength was 0.221 kg/year, 1.095 kg per 5 years, and 2.243 kg per 10 years. Among males, handgrip strength declined 0.353 kg/year for Mexican Americans, 0.358 kg/year for Other Hispanic, 0.377 kg/year for Non-Hispanic Whites, and 0.390 kg/year for Non-Hispanic Blacks. Similarly, among females, handgrip strength declined at the rate of 0.205 kg/year for Mexican Americans, 0.216 kg/year for Other Hispanic, 0.248 kg/year for Non-Hispanic Whites, and 0.244 kg/year for Non-Hispanic Blacks.

Conclusions: Grip strength declines at a systematic and predictable rate as the population ages. Here, we estimated the age-associated rate of decline in grip strength.

Author(s) Disclosures: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.