Abstract

Background: Increasing age and excessive amount of adipose tissue leads to a decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength, termed as sarcopenic obesity. Assessment of handgrip strength and body mass index (BMI) are two easy tests, which can provide information about total body strength in relation to BMI. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the handgrip strength in urban elderly individuals of Amritsar and correlates it with BMI.
Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 173 elderly male and female participants, who were divided further into three subgroups each according to their age, i.e., Group A (50-59 years), Group B (60- 69 years), and Group C (70 years and above). The handgrip strength for both dominant and non-dominant hands was measured using simple spring-type handgrip dynamometer. Three anthropometric variables, i.e., height, weight, and BMI were recorded. The data were analyzed statistically.
Results: Grip strength decreased significantly with age in both males and females. Males were stronger than females in all the age groups. Correlation studies showed a significant inverse relationship existed between handgrip strength and BMI. The increase in BMI led to a decrease in handgrip strength in both males and females. Conclusion: From our study, we can conclude that age-related decline in handgrip strength occurs from 50 years onward, in both males and females. An increase in BMI led to a decrease in handgrip strength. This information can be helpful in future studies, using grip strength as a measure of physical strength in elderly Punjabis.