Table 7 Cardiovascular Health Study Frailty Criteria¹

Slow gait

Determined by taking the better of two timed 3-meter walks.

≥7 seconds², men ≤ 173 cm ≥ 7 seconds, women ≤ 159 cm ≥ 6 seconds, men > 173 cm

≥ 6 seconds, women > 159 cm

Muscle weakness

Average of three grip strength readings using a handheld dynamometer.³

BMI-specific thresholds: ≤ 29-32 kg, men

≤ 17-21 kg, women

Low physical activity

Reported minutes over two weeks per activity type - from the interRAI-AL “Exercise or Leisure Activities” ⁴

Activities were mapped to Minnesota Leisure Time Activity Questionnaire [34]. Kcals per week calculated based on the intensity codes: < 383 Kcals/week, men

< 270 Kcals/week, women

Unintentional weight loss

Answer to question: “In the past year have you lost more than 10 pounds unintentionally” ⁵

Response of “Yes”

Exhaustion

Answers to 3 questions: “In the past month, on average, have you been: 1) Feeling unusually tired during the day?; 2) Feeling unusually weak?; and/or, 3) Feeling an unusually low energy level?”⁶

Response of Yes to any of the 3 questions