UB study links grip strength to longevity 60+

University at Buffalo researchers reported in February that two simple strength measures — grip strength and chair-stand speed — were associated with lower mortality in women over 60. The study, published February 13 in *JAMA Network Open*, followed 5,472 ambulatory women ages 63 to 99 for a mean of 8.4 years. Lead author Michael J. LaMonte, a research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at UB, said the findings held even after accounting for physical activity, sedentary time, walking speed and inflammation. Consumer coverage resurfaced the study on May 19 in *Prevention* and *Women’s Health UK*. ### Which women were studied, and for how long? The *JAMA Network Open* paper examined 5,472 women with a mean age of 78.7 years, drawn from the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health study. The cohort included women ages 63 to 99 and followed them from baseline assessments conducted between March 2012 and April 2014 through February 19, 2023. During follow-up, 1,964 participants died. (jamanetwork.com) The University at Buffalo said the study was led by its researchers and described it as involving more than 5,000 women between ages 63 and 99. LaMonte said it was the largest study to date evaluating muscle strength and longevity in women over 60. ### What exactly did researchers measure? The study used two common clinical strength tests: dominant-hand grip strength and the time needed to complete five unassisted chair stands. (jamanetwork.com) Grip strength was measured in kilograms, and chair-stand performance was measured in seconds. The chair-stand test required participants to rise from a chair and sit back down five times without using their hands or arms. (buffalo.edu) The journal paper grouped grip strength into quartiles ranging from less than 14 kilograms to more than 24 kilograms. Chair-stand time was also grouped by quartile, from slower than 16.7 seconds to 11.1 seconds or faster. ### What did the study find? The paper reported significant inverse trends between both strength measures and all-cause mortality. (jamanetwork.com) Women in the highest grip-strength quartile had a hazard ratio of 0.67 compared with the lowest quartile, while women in the fastest chair-stand quartile had a hazard ratio of 0.63 compared with the slowest group. The University at Buffalo said that, on average, every 7-kilogram increase in grip strength was associated with a 12% lower mortality rate. The university also said that moving from slower to faster chair-stand performance in 6-second increments was associated with a 4% lower mortality rate. ### Did the link remain after accounting for exercise and other health factors? (jamanetwork.com) The journal paper said the associations persisted after researchers adjusted for age, sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and clinical variables, then further adjusted for accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior, walking speed and C-reactive protein. That matters because the study was designed to test whether strength itself was associated with mortality apart from other markers of healthy aging. (buffalo.edu) LaMonte said in the UB release that many previous large epidemiologic studies lacked the physical activity, inflammation and cardiovascular fitness measures used here. He also said body size differences did not explain the relationship between muscular strength and death risk. ### Why are grip strength and chair stands getting attention now? (jamanetwork.com) May 19 coverage in *Prevention* and *Women’s Health UK* highlighted the practical appeal of the findings: both tests are simple, low-cost and already familiar in clinical and fitness settings. The renewed attention did not announce a new paper; it summarized the February study and its implications for older women tracking functional strength. (buffalo.edu) LaMonte said in the UB release that muscle strength helps enable movement, particularly “when moving against gravity.” He added: “When we no longer can get out of the chair and move around, we are in trouble.” ### What comes next for readers following this research? The published record is the February 13, 2026 *JAMA Network Open* study, and the underlying cohort follow-up ran through February 19, 2023. (uk.style.yahoo.com) Readers looking for the primary data can find the full methods, quartiles and hazard ratios in the journal paper, while the University at Buffalo release provides LaMonte’s comments and the study framing. (jamanetwork.com) (buffalo.edu)