A stooped older girl with a material throughout her head and shoulders. Her bodice is loosely tied. She carried a jug in a single hand and wears a easy bag throughout her physique, over an apron. Credit score: Public area.
Aged individuals who discover it troublesome to elevate an object weighing 5 kilograms run the danger of creating a bunch of persistent illnesses and musculoskeletal circumstances that may considerably decrease their high quality of life, a research led by scientists from the College of Sharjah within the United Arab Emirates has revealed.
The scientists confirmed their findings following an investigation that concerned over 51,000 older adults aged 50 and above from 15 nations. “We tracked them over time to see if their ability to lift 5 kg was connected to developing various health conditions in the future. What we found was quite significant,” stated Professor Rizwan Qaisar, the research’s first creator.
“Individuals who reported problem lifting 5 kg had a considerably greater threat of experiencing a decrease high quality of life, greater charges of melancholy, persistent lung illnesses, hip fractures, joint issues, excessive ldl cholesterol, Alzheimer’s illness, stroke, and osteoarthritis.
“Interestingly, this connection held regardless of their age or gender. Our findings strongly suggest that this simple, everyday test could be a valuable early indicator of overall health and potential future health challenges.”
Within the research, revealed within the journal Scientific Reviews, the authors emphasize that they initiated their analysis to develop an easier and extra accessible technique for assessing muscle power, one which anybody might carry out at dwelling. The present strategies medical doctors use to measure muscle weak spot require costly units that solely clinics can afford.
The issue in lifting one thing weighing 5 kg is principally attributed to muscle weak spot, as our muscle groups are recognized to develop into weaker as we become old.
Muscle weak spot isn’t just a minor inconvenience however a critical warning for total well being, says Prof. Qaisar, including that historically, medical doctors have measured muscle power with particular medical units. “Whereas these units are good, they’re costly, exhausting to get, and in want of normal maintenance.
“That’s where the idea of being able to lift a 5-kg weight came in. Think about it: a bag of sugar, a small pet, or a common kitchen appliance often weighs around 5 kg. If someone struggles to lift this amount, it might be an early sign of muscle weakness.”
There aren’t any precise statistics on the variety of individuals affected by muscle weak spot, however the World Well being Group estimates level to roughly 1.71 billion individuals having musculoskeletal circumstances worldwide, which considerably restrict mobility and dexterity. Muscle weak spot within the U.S. is reported to happen in about 5% of adults who’re 60 years and older.
The authors describe muscle weak spot as “a risk factor for multiple diseases.” Nonetheless, they preserve that many of the present protocols assessing muscle weak spot require medical settings, and to their information, there is no such thing as a related research within the literature to assist the aged measure muscle weak spot on their very own.
Scientists discover that the shortcoming of older adults aged 50 and above to elevate an object weighing 5 kg heralds the onset of quite a few persistent illnesses and poor well-being. Credit score: Public area.
The scientists write, “We investigated the associations of problem lifting 5 kg with varied musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological illnesses in geriatric adults aged 50 or above from 15 nations (n = 51,536) over 5 years.
“Collectively, difficulty lifting 5 kg can herald the onset of several cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal disorders along with a reduced QoL (Quality of Life). We suggest that difficulty lifting 5 kg may be a valuable indicator of muscle weakness and poor health in domestic settings.”
The authors’ research falls inside the realm of public well being because it offers common help to measure muscle weak spot.
“Lifting 5 kg: a simple act, a powerful health predictor. No fancy gear needed. Our findings put early health assessment in everyone’s hands,” says co-author Dr. Fabio Franzese from SHARE Berlin Institute, Germany. “Muscle weakness isn’t just a sign of aging; it’s a profound warning for future disease.”
The scientists derive their knowledge from the Survey of Well being, Getting old, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) performed between 2013 and 2020. They be aware that “Total, 10,025 (19.5%) respondents exhibited problem lifting 5 kg at baseline in 2013.
They preserve that within the 4 years since 2013, the members having problem lifting an object weighing 5 kg exhibited greater dangers for creating a low high quality of life (9.42%), melancholy (8.14%), low handgrip power (7.38%), and osteoarthritis (6.98%) after adjusting for age and gender.
They present that the respondents run delicate to reasonable dangers of getting “rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or hip fracture.” Adjusting their outcomes for age and nation, they discover the dangers of creating varied illnesses are greater in males than in girls.
“We discovered that if older adults have trouble lifting a simple 5-kg weight, they’re at a much higher risk for a whole range of health problems down the road,” Dr. Qaisar factors out.
“This includes conditions such as feeling depressed, having a lower quality of life, chronic lung issues, hip fractures, arthritis (both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis), high cholesterol, strokes, and even Alzheimer’s disease.”
Prof. Qaisar touts the tactic the analysis adopts to measure muscle weak spot as “a very easy, no-cost technique to get an early heads-up about potential well being points. You do not want fancy tools, only a widespread family merchandise.
“Imagine you’re at home, and you pick up a bag of groceries, maybe something that weighs about 5 kg—like a big bag of sugar or a small kitchen appliance. If you find yourself struggling with that, it might seem like a small thing, but our research shows it could be a really important clue about your health.”
The analysis, in line with co-author Prof. Azhar Hussain of the College of Sharjah, affords extremely sensible functions, furnishing the aged with a easy, cheap, and accessible technique to self-assess muscle weak spot by lifting a standard 5-kg object.
“Before major illness, there’s often a subtle struggle. This test offers a crucial window for intervention. The test empowers people to seek early medical advice, motivates healthier lifestyle choices, and offers health care providers a valuable preliminary screening tool to identify at-risk individuals, ultimately improving preventive care and public health outreach for older populations.”
Extra info:
Rizwan Qaisar et al, The straightforward process of lifting 5 kilograms serves as a predictor of age-related issues in outdated adults, Scientific Reviews (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-03128-y
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Problem lifting 5 kg might point out lowered high quality of life and a spread of persistent illnesses, say scientists (2025, June 9)
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