Table 1.
Sample characteristics and prevalence of mean maximum grip strength among older South Africans by gender
| Variables | Total sample | Mean maximum grip strength (kg) 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sociodemographics
|
N (%) |
Male |
Female |
| M (SD) |
M (SD) |
||
|
All |
3840 |
37.9 (19.6) |
31.5 (17.8) |
|
Age in years (M, SD) |
61.6 (9.5) |
61.1 (9.1) |
62.0 (9.7) |
| 50–59 |
1695 (49.9) |
40.4 (19.6) |
32.9 (18.3) |
| 60–69 |
1233 (30.6) |
35.8 (19.6) |
31.8 (17.9) |
| 70–79 |
661 (14.0) |
35.0 (19.2) |
28.7 (16.5) |
| 80 and over |
251 (5.5) |
31.1 (16.8) |
25.2 (14.2) |
|
Population group |
|
|
|
| African Black |
2053 (74.0) |
38.9 (19.6) |
31.2 (16.4) |
| White |
269 (9.3) |
46.5 (22.3) |
39.4 (22.2) |
| Coloured |
655 (12.8) |
34.5 (21.0) |
28.8 (19.9) |
| Indian or Asian |
307 (3.8) |
33.0 (20.1) |
31.2 (16.3) |
|
Educational level |
|
|
|
| No schooling |
854 (25.2) |
37.0 (17.4) |
30.0 (17.2) |
| Less than primary |
803 (24.0) |
39.3 (23.2) |
30.2 (17.6) |
| Primary |
779 (22.4) |
33.8 (17.5) |
31.2 (16.9) |
| Secondary |
923 (28.3) |
41.0 (20.6) |
35.5 (19.1) |
|
Wealth |
|
|
|
| Low |
1482 (40.6) |
37.2 (19.6) |
29.7 (16.7) |
| Medium |
731 (18.2) |
39.2 (19.0) |
31.4 (16.3) |
| High |
1608 (41.2) |
38.0 (19.7) |
33.6 (19.7) |
|
Geolocality |
|
|
|
| Rural |
1276 (35.1) |
37.5 (19.5) |
31.0 (16.3) |
| Urban |
2561 (64.9) |
38.1 (19.7) |
31.8 (18.6) |
|
Health variables
|
|
|
|
| Height (cms) [M (SD)] |
158.5 (12.4) |
|
|
| Underweight |
184 (4.3) |
28.8 (19.6) |
32.6 (20.5) |
| Obese |
1539 (46.7) |
37.4 (19.8) |
31.3 (17.7) |
| Cognitive functioning |
1793 (52.0) |
40.9 (20.3) |
36.2 (19.0) |
|
Self-rated health |
|
|
|
| Very good/good |
1460 (37.9) |
40.8 (18.9) |
34.8 (19.3) |
| Moderate |
1681 (44.6) |
37.1 (20.2) |
30.1 (16.6) |
| Bad/very bad |
617 (17.5) |
31.9 (18.3) |
28.1 (16.7) |
|
Functional disability |
|
|
|
| Low |
1381 (34.5) |
43.0 (20.4) |
37.7 (20.9) |
| Medium |
1142 (28.3) |
37.0 (16.0) |
30.8 (15.4) |
| High |
1317 (37.2) |
31.3 (19.2) |
27.1 (15.4) |
| Chronic conditions (≥2 or more) |
780 (21.5) |
30.4 (18.5) |
28.3 (17.7) |
| Depression |
160 (4.0) |
33.7 (21.0) |
29.4 (20.0) |
| Daily tobacco use |
810 (20.4) |
39.4 (22.3) |
31.4 (19.0) |
| Alcohol use (10 drinks or more a week) |
158 (3.7) |
41.6 (19.1) |
23.2 (13.8) |
| Physical inactivity | 2455 (60.5) | 37.1 (20.0) | 31.0 (18.3) |
1294 (7.5%) were excluded from the sample since they reported to have had surgery on both their left and right arm, hand or wrist in the last 3 months or had arthritis or pain in both their left and right hand or wrist were excluded from the test.