Muscular strength in male adolescents and premature death: cohort study of one million participants
Overview
Paper Summary
This large prospective cohort study of over one million Swedish male adolescents found that low muscular strength in adolescence is an independent risk factor for premature death from any cause, cardiovascular disease, and suicide. Weaker adolescents had significantly higher mortality rates, with the lowest tenth showing the highest risk, an effect size comparable to elevated BMI or blood pressure.
Explain Like I'm Five
Being strong as a teenager might help you live longer, reducing your chances of dying young from heart problems or even suicide. The weakest kids had the highest risks.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified. Authors declared no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work within the past three years, and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. Funding was received from the Swedish Research Council and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Identified Limitations
Rating Explanation
This study is a well-designed prospective cohort study with an exceptionally large sample size (over one million participants) and a long follow-up period (24 years), providing robust statistical power. It identifies novel associations, particularly concerning suicide, and rigorously adjusts for confounding factors. The limitations, such as the single-sex population and lack of specific physical activity data, are acknowledged by the authors and are common in such large-scale retrospective analyses of administrative data, but do not detract significantly from the study's overall strength and contribution to the field.
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