Depressed mood and body mass index as predictors of muscle strength decline in old men

OBJECTIVE: To study depressed mood as a predictor of strength decline within body weight categories over a 3-year follow-up period. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study over 3 years. SETTING: Honolulu, Hawaii. PARTICIPANTS: The subjects were 2275 men participating in the Honolulu Heart Program with an average age of 77.1 years (range 71–92 years), who were not cognitively impaired at baseline (Exam 4), and who participated in maximal hand grip strength measurements at baseline and 3 years later (Exam 5). MEASUREMENTS: Hand grip strength was measured using a dynamometer. Depressive symptoms were studied using an 11-item version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale with 9 as a c…