By Fatma Younis
On Nov. 4, 2026, an international team of kinesiologists and nutrition experts urged doctors to treat skeletal muscle quality and the muscle-to-fat ratio as a vital sign akin to blood pressure, linking it to metabolic regulation, immune function, and longevity.
Muscle quality as a vital sign
Dr. Nicolaas Deutz, a professor at Texas A&M University, said muscle health estimation could be as important as measuring blood pressure. Healthy muscles serve as the body's main storage for blood sugar, supporting metabolism and reducing inflammation. Muscle health involves more than size; strength, balance, physical function, activity levels, and intramuscular fat all matter, said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford of Mass General Brigham.
Impact of GLP-1 medications
The rise of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Zepbound has heightened awareness of muscle health. While these medications improve blood sugar and cardiovascular risk, they can also reduce lean mass, including skeletal muscle. Stanford emphasized that patients on GLP-1s need adequate nutrition to preserve muscle function, especially older adults and those losing weight rapidly.
Protein and resistance training
Consuming 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily from sources like fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds helps protect against muscle loss. Resistance training — including body-weight exercises, bands, machines, or supervised strength work — two to three times weekly can maintain muscle strength and function during weight loss.
Measuring muscle health
Muscle power, the ability to produce force quickly, declines earlier than strength with aging. Handgrip strength measured with a dynamometer is a simple proxy; a large study defined low grip strength as less than 57 pounds for men and 35 pounds for women. Functional tests such as the 6-Minute Walk Test, Timed Up and Go Test, 30-Second Chair Stand Test, and 5-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test assess endurance, mobility, and fall risk.
