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) |