**Abstract**

The muscle on your frame is a prime indicator of health and longevity. Dr. Paul Terpeluk with the Cleveland Clinic has stated that muscular strength is the new vital sign of workplace health and safety. Research studies focusing on Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculo-skeletal injuries, certain cancers and the delay of dementia have shown a strong correlation between disease prevention and muscular strength. IPCS' database of over 500,000 strength tests have shown a workers' absolute strength today is at least 14% weaker than the worker 15 years ago and weighs about 8 pounds more. Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant shift by 52% with an increase in the number of workers with a BMI of 35 or greater. The Cleveland Clinic implemented a new hire muscular strength assessment to place new hire applicants into jobs that match their physical capability in 2011. The outcomes show a statistically significant reduction in number of employee health, pharmacy and workers' compensation claims and costs with overall savings near \$25 million. Musculo-skeletal health of the worker can be improved. When a worker maintains good muscular strength, the worker is more productive, has fewer medical claims and workers' compensation claims.

**Keywords:** muscle health, muscle strength, musculo-skeletal, disease prevention, cost savings

#### **1. Introduction**

Population Health continues to expand especially as new research demonstrates ways to better manage a person's health. One area of interest is the impact muscle has on enhancing health and disease prevention [1–12]. A healthy and strong muscle mass increases the chance of better managing and preventing certain diseases such as Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, dementia and hypertension to name a few [3–5]. A healthy muscle mass also helps in maintaining a healthier body weight, the ability to sustain an adequate overall body metabolism with age and an enhanced immune system to help fight off various viruses and disease [6, 8, 9]. Muscular strength with aging puts individuals at greater risk for sarcopenia (loss of muscle) not only for the diseases already mentioned by also for slips, falls, functionality and frailty [4, 11–12].

#### **2. Research general**

In 2006, Wolfe discussed the underappreciated role of muscle in health and disease [1]. He discussed the importance of future research to include factors

related to muscle mass, strength and metabolic syndrome. Wolfe focused on the importance of muscle protein and the pool of amino acids in maintaining a relatively constant plasma glucose concentration. He also discussed the role muscle plays in obesity and Type II diabetes. Argiles and associates in 2016 supports Wolfe's research on the importance of muscle regulating protein metabolism throughout the body [4]. Both of these studies strongly support maintaining a healthy and strong muscle mass throughout one's lifespan especially to prevent sarcopenia and certain diseases. This was further emphasized by Mrowka and Westphal in their article on "skeletal muscle in the fight against chronic disease" published in 2018 [5]. DeCarvalho and associates showed an inverse relationship between skeletal muscle mass adjusted for weight and BMI with metabolic syndrome in both males and females [2]. Their study researched 689 adults between the ages of 20–59. Mesinovic and associates discussed the connection between sarcopenia and Type II diabetes [10]. The loss of muscle alters glucose uptake in the muscle leading to more glucose in the blood which increases the risk of Type II diabetes.
