Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia.
Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, USA.
J Sci Med Sport. 2021 Jul;24(7):696-701. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2021.01.011. Epub 2021 Feb 16.
Low muscular strength is a risk factor for current and future adverse health outcomes. However, whether levels of muscular strength persist, or track, and if there are distinct muscular strength trajectories across the life course is unclear. This study aimed to explore muscular strength trajectories between childhood and mid-adulthood.
Prospective longitudinal study.
Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study participants had their muscular strength (right and left handgrip, shoulder extension and flexion, and leg strength measured by hand-held, shoulder and leg-back dynamometers, and a combined strength score) assessed in childhood, young adulthood and mid-adulthood. The tracking of muscular strength was quantified between childhood and mid-adulthood (n=385) and young- and mid-adulthood (n=822). Muscular strength trajectory patterns were identified for participants who had their muscular strength assessed at least twice across the life course (n=1280).
Levels of muscular strength were persistent between childhood and mid-adulthood and between young- and mid-adulthood, with the highest tracking correlations observed for the combined strength score (childhood to mid-adulthood: r=0.47, p<0.001; young- to mid-adulthood: r=0.72, p<0.001). Three trajectories of combined muscular strength were identified across the life course; participants maintained average, above average, or below average levels of combined muscular strength.
Weak children are likely to become weak adults in midlife unless strategies aimed at increasing muscular strength levels are introduced. Whether interventions aimed at increasing muscular strength could be implemented in childhood to help establish favourable muscular strength trajectories across the life course and in turn, better future health, warrant further attention.
肌肉力量较弱是当前和未来健康不良结果的一个风险因素。然而，肌肉力量的水平是否持续存在，或者是否存在贯穿整个生命过程的不同肌肉力量轨迹尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨儿童期和成年中期之间的肌肉力量轨迹。
前瞻性纵向研究。
在儿童期、成年早期和成年中期，使用手持式、肩部和腿部测力计测量参与者的肌肉力量（右手和左手握力、肩部伸展和弯曲以及腿部力量），评估参与者的肌肉力量（右和左手握力、肩部伸展和弯曲，以及腿部力量通过手持式、肩部和腿部测力计进行测量，以及综合力量得分）。在童年和成年中期（n=385）以及年轻和成年中期（n=822）之间量化肌肉力量的跟踪情况。对于至少在整个生命过程中进行过两次肌肉力量评估的参与者（n=1280），确定肌肉力量轨迹模式。
肌肉力量水平在儿童期和成年中期以及成年早期和中期之间是持续存在的，综合力量得分的跟踪相关性最高（儿童期到成年中期：r=0.47，p<0.001；成年早期到中期：r=0.72，p<0.001）。在整个生命过程中确定了三种综合肌肉力量轨迹；参与者保持平均、高于平均或低于平均水平的综合肌肉力量。
除非引入旨在提高肌肉力量水平的策略，否则身体较弱的儿童很可能在中年时成为身体较弱的成年人。是否可以在儿童时期实施干预措施来提高肌肉力量，以帮助建立整个生命过程中的有利肌肉力量轨迹，并进而改善未来健康，值得进一步关注。
