Does arm length indicate cognitive and functional reserve?

Background This study aimed to examine whether arm length and height were associated with cognitive and functional abilities. Methods Screening interviews were conducted in 235 community dwelling individuals aged 65 and over. The assessment scales included the Korean version of modified Mini-Mental State Examination (K-mMMSE) for cognition, and the Korean Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL) for functional ability. All the participants were examined clinically and a diagnosis of dementia was ascertained. Anthropometric measurements included total arm span and height. Results Both arm length and height correlated significantly with the cognitive and functional scales. In the multivariate regression models, their associations were significant, independent of age, sex, education, and other variables. Shorter arm length was also significantly associated with dementia; while, height lost significance after an adjustment for the potential confounders. Conclusions Arm length and height could indicate cognitive and functional ability. Arm length, which was known to be less prone to degenerative processes, might be more stable as an indicator for cognitive and functional reserve capacity than height. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.