Muscle Quality in Older Adults: What Are the Health Implications?

The population of older adults in the United States is steadily growing and identifying factors that contribute to healthy aging is a public health priority. Changes in body composition are a hallmark of the aging process and have been implicated in the loss of physical function among older adults. In particular, age-related declines in muscle strength and power occur at a faster rate than the loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia), and this suggests a decrease in muscle quality of older adults. Muscle quality has traditionally been defined as muscle function (strength or power) per unit of muscle size (mass or cross-sectional area) and a growing body of literature suggests that lower body muscle quality may be critical for maintaining functional independence with age. However, the literature regarding the definition of muscle quality and its relationship with health outcomes in older adults has not been adequately reviewed. Thus, the aim of this report is to highlight the contemporary literature regarding age-related changes in muscle quality and its relationship with health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults.