Which statement about frailty criteria is correct?

Which statement about frailty criteria is correct?

• A. Unplanned weight loss
• B. Unplanned weight gain
• C. Increase in grip strength
• D. High body mass index

Answer: (A)

Frailty criteria identify a frail older adult as having unintentional weight loss along with other signs like weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low activity. Unintentional weight loss signals loss of lean body mass and reduced physiologic reserve, which contributes to functional decline. That makes unplanned weight loss the correct statement. Unplanned weight gain isn’t a frailty criterion, an increase in grip strength would indicate better function rather than frailty, and a high BMI is not used to define frailty ( frailty can occur across a range of BMIs).

Frailty criteria identify a frail older adult as having unintentional weight loss along with other signs like weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low activity. Unintentional weight loss signals loss of lean body mass and reduced physiologic reserve, which contributes to functional decline. That makes unplanned weight loss the correct statement. Unplanned weight gain isn’t a frailty criterion, an increase in grip strength would indicate better function rather than frailty, and a high BMI is not used to define frailty ( frailty can occur across a range of BMIs).