Handgrip strength among older American Indians: the Native Elder Care Study

SIR—Increased age is associated with declines in muscle strength and muscle mass, a condition referred to as sarcopenia [1]. Assessing handgrip strength is an easy test that can provide an approximation of total body muscle strength [2]. Research has found grip strength to be associated with functional disability [3, 4], chronic illnesses [5–8], hospitalisation and longer lengths of stay [9, 10] and mortality [2, 11]. Such studies have led to grip strength being considered a robust measure of frailty [8]. American Indians possess many of the risk factors for weaker grip. Notably they possess disproportionately high rates of functional disability [12] and chronic disease [13, 14]. Only one published study has examined hand strength in American Indians, measured by summing grip strength, two-point pinch and three-point pinch [15]. Given the limited information about grip strength in this population, coupled with their risk factors, we compared grip strength from a sample of American Indians to normative values and identified their correlates of weaker grip strength.