Muscle mass is an important factor in evaluating health

A comprehensive review of more than 140 studies, published in Annals of Medicine confirms the important role muscle mass plays in an individual’s health, particularly those with chronic health conditions.  The review found that individuals with little muscle mass had more surgical and post-operative complications, lower physical function, poor quality of life, longer stays in hospital and overall a lower survival rate.

The study authors suggest that muscle mass should be a key factor in measuring a person’s health status and should be considered as an addition to standard health checkups.  Suzette Pereira, PhD, one of the study authors said “Something as simple as the firmness of a person’ handshake can give a lot of insight into their overall health and it’s never too late to rebuild muscle with good nutrition, including protein and proper exercise.”

NOTE:  Annals of Medicine is a peer reviewed review medical journal