Grip strength changes over 27 yr in Japanese-American men

The aim of this study was to describe changes in grip strength over a follo w-up period of similar to 27 yr and to study the associations of rate of st rength decline with weight change and chronic conditions. The data are from the Honolulu Heart Program, a prospective population-based study establish ed in 1965. Participants at exam 1 were 8,006 men (ages 45-68 yr) who were of Japanese ancestry and living in Hawaii. At follow-up, 3,741 men (age ran ge, 71-96 yr) participated. Those who died before the follow-up showed sign ificantly lower grip-strength values at baseline than did the survivors. Th e average annualized strength change among the survivors was -1.0%. Steeper decline (>1.5%/yr) was associated with older age at baseline, greater weig ht decrease, and chronic conditions such as stroke, diabetes, arthritis, co ronary heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The risk f actors for having very low hand-grip strength at follow-up, here termed gri p-strength disability (less than or equal to 21 kg, the lowest 10th percent ile), were largely same as those for steep strength decline. However, the a ge-adjusted correlation between baseline and follow-up strength was strong (r = 0.557, P < 0.001); i.e., those who showed greater grip strength at bas eline were also likely to do so 27 yr later. Consequently, those in the low est grip-strength tertile at baseline had about eight times greater risk of grip-strength disability than those in the highest tertile because of thei r lower reserve of strength. In old age, maintenance of optimal body mass m ay help prevent steep strength decrease and poor absolute strength.