Poor Lower Extremity Function Was Associated with Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes in Older Chinese People

Objective: To determine whether a relationship exists between performance-based physical assessments and pre-diabetes/diabetes in an older Chinese population. Methods: Our study population comprised 976 subjects (mean +/- SD age: 67.6 +/- 6.0 years; 44.5% men) from the Hangu area of Tianjin, China. Diabetes was defined by self-reporting of a physician's diagnosis, or a fasting plasma glucose level >= 126 mg/dL; and pre-diabetes was defined as a fasting plasma glucose level >= 100 mg/dL and <126 mg/dL. Results: When all other variables were adjusted for, men needing longer to finish a Timed Up and Go Test and a decreased usual walking speed had higher odds of pre-diabetes (P for trend=0.007 and 0.008, respectively) and diabetes (P for trend=0.012 and 0.014, respectively). However, women needing longer to finish the test and a decreased usual walking speed had a higher odds of diabetes (P for trend=0.020 and 0.034, respectively) but not of pre-diabetes. There was no apparent association between grip strength and pre-diabetes/diabetes in both sexes. Conclusions: In this study, poor lower extremity function was associated with prediabetes/diabetes in older people.