Association Between Physical Activity in Rural Life and Low Grip Strength: Findings From the Uonuma Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is a significant health concern.
• Physical activity is a known countermeasure, but its impact on handgrip strength, a key indicator, requires further investigation.
• The role of specific rural activities like farming and snow removal in maintaining muscle strength is not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between physical activity in rural life and handgrip strength.
• To specifically examine the impact of farming and snow removal on grip strength in middle-aged and older adults.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a population-based cohort study (N=4,774, aged ≥40 years).
• Assessment of farming activity (May-November) and snow removal (December-April) as exposures.
• Multivariable logistic regression used to determine the odds of low grip strength, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

• Farming activity showed an inverse association with low grip strength (AOR: 0.63; 95% CI [0.50, 0.78]).
• Snow removal was also inversely associated with low grip strength (AOR: 0.52; 95% CI [0.40, 0.69]).
• Participants engaging in one or both activities had significantly lower odds of low grip strength compared to those doing neither (p for trend = .001).

Conclusions:

• Physical activity in rural settings, including farming and snow removal, is inversely associated with low grip strength in middle-aged and older adults.
• These findings underscore the importance of environment-related physical activities for maintaining muscle strength and potentially reducing sarcopenia risk.
• Rural physical activities may serve as effective strategies for muscle strength maintenance in community-dwelling older populations.