title: Hand grip strength and associated factors in non-institutionalised men and women 50 years and older in South Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the prevalence, predictors and gender differences in hand grip strength of older adults in Africa. This study aims to investigate social and health differences in hand grip strength among older adults in a national probability sample of older South Africans who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE wave 1) in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 3840 men and women aged 50 years or older in South Africa. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, and anthropometric measurements. Linear multivariate regression analysis was performed to assess the association of social factors, health variables and grip strength.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean overall hand grip strength was 37.9 kgs for men (mean age 61.1 years, SD = 9.1) and 31.5 kgs for women (mean age 62.0 years, SD = 9.7). In multivariate analysis among men, greater height, not being underweight and lower functional disability was associated with greater grip strength, and among women, greater height, better cognitive functioning, and lower functional disability were associated with greater grip strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater height and lower functional disability were found for both older South African men and women to be significantly associated with grip strength.
authors.forename: Shandir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramlagan
authors.affiliation: HIV/STI and TB (HAST) Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa. kpeltzer@hsrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phaswana-Mafuya
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires