Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Assessments of Age Changes in Physical Strength as Related to Sex, Social Class, and Mental Ability

Abstract

Basic hand grip strength measurements were obtained on over 2,000 healthy male and female subjects, ranging widely in age and socioeconomic levels. The results confirmed the previously observed positive correlations between strength and height and weight. A weak positive correlation between strength and intellectual level and efficiency was also observed. Intense physical or intellectual activity seems to have a favorable effect on the maintaining of physical strength with age. Finally, longitudinal assessments of age changes in physical strength suggest that the decline of physical strength is greater than is indicated by cross-sectional comparisons of different age groups. The under-estimation of stength loss in cross-sectional estimates probably occurred because relatively fewer weak individuals were represented in the older samples.