title: Bidirectional association between physical activity and muscular strength in older adults: Results from the UK Biobank study.
abstract: The relationship between physical activity and muscular strength has not been examined in detail among older adults. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between physical activity and hand grip strength among adults aged ≥ 60 years.
  
  
  
  Using data from the UK Biobank study, we included 66 582 men and women with complete baseline data and 6599 with 4.5 years of follow-up data. We used multiple linear regression models to examine the cross-sectional, longitudinal and bidirectional associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and grip strength, adjusting for potential confounding by age, sex, height, weight, health status, education level, smoking status, Townsend deprivation index and retirement status.
  
  
  
  In cross-sectional analyses, grip strength and MVPA were linearly and positively associated with each other. Longitudinally, baseline MVPA was not associated with grip strength at follow-up {difference between quintile [Q] 5 and Q1 = 0.40 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.14, 0.94]kg}, whereas baseline grip strength was associated with MVPA at follow-up [Q5 vs Q1 = 7.15 (1.18, 13.12) min/day]. People who maintained/increased time spent in MVPA did not experience any benefit in grip strength [0.08 (-0.20, 0.37) kg] whereas those who increased their grip strength spent 3.69 (0.20, 7.17) min/day extra in MVPA.
  
  
  
  Promotion of strength-training activities may enable and maintain participation in regular physical activity among older adults.
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science.
authors.forename: Ajm
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science.
authors.forename: Mje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science.|Primary Care Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: MVPA; Physical activity; UK Biobank; bidirectional; longitudinal; muscle strength; older adults