Associations of upper‐ and lower‐limb muscle strength, mass, and quality with health‐related quality of life in community‐dwelling older adults

Aim This study aimed to investigate the associations between upper‐ and lower‐limb muscle strength, mass, and quality and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among community‐dwelling older adults. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 428 Brazilian community‐dwelling older adults aged 60 to 80 years. Upper‐ and lower‐limb muscle strength were evaluated through the handgrip strength (HGS) test and the 30‐s chair stand test, respectively. Muscle mass was assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Muscle quality was evaluated using the muscle quality index (MQI). HRQoL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version questionnaire. Results Lower‐limb, but not upper‐limb, muscle strength and quality were independently associated with HRQoL, particularly within the domains of physical capacity, environment, and overall HRQoL for both males and females (P