Muscle strength according to level of physical exercise and educational background in middle-aged women in Finland

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the role of socio-economic status and the practice of physical exercise in explaining variation in muscle strength in 50 to 60-year-old women. Consequently, four study groups combining education and physical activity were formed: (1) university education, physically active; (2) university education, sedentary; (3) vocational or lower level of education, physically active; (4) vocational or lower level of education, sedentary. Maximal isometric strength of hand grip, arm flexion, body flexion and extension as well as dynamic power of the abdominal muscles were measured in 112 women. The results of the maximal isometric strength measurements were standardised by body mass index. The means of the maximal isometric strength results and sit-up tests were compared between the groups using two-way analysis of variance. The physically active women performed better than the sedentary in both the isometric and dynamic tests. Greater muscle strength was also found among the more highly educated compared with the less educated. The less educated sedentary women showed the poorest performance in the strength tests.

Social Patterning in Grip Strength, Chair Rise, and Walk Speed in an Aging Population: The Czech HAPIEE Study

“…We have not, however, found a social gradient in grip strength after controlling for covariates. Our findings are generally in agreement with many previous studies showing that educational level plays an important role in PF, mobility, disability, and cognitive decline in aging populations (Callahan & Pincus, 1988;Coppin, Shumway-Cook, et al, 2006;Patel et al, 2006;Groffen, Bosma, Van Den Akker, Kempen, & Van Eijk, 2008;Rantanen, Parkatti, & Heikkinen, 1992). The similarity of results on chair rise and walk speed, and their correlation, is also not surprising as both tests measure lower limb muscle strength (Steffen et al, 2002).…”

Comparing BMI and hand grip strength of Tsinghua University Beijing and University of Sindh Pakistan students

“…The health and fitness implications of obesity are epidemically hard to quantify and predict although it is cleared that obesity and strength weakness conditions have become one of our greatest health challenges for younger population. Since similar trends were evident in almost all the developed and under developing countries, the younger population's poor muscle strength has been found to be concomitant with lower body weight 9 resulting in the presence of chronic diseases 10 , physical inactivity and eventually lower education 11 and well-being. All these factors are the known predictors of increased mortality 12 .…”

In Vitro Fertilization Pregnancy is One of the Risk Factor for Atonic Bleeding in Problem-Free Pregnancy

“…Many articles recently described the need for exercise after delivery and during pregnancy [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48].…”