Is perceived neighbourhood physical disorder associated with muscle strength in middle aged and older men and women? Findings from the US health and retirement study

{Background Research documenting the relevance of neighbourhoods for the health of older adults has focused on global physical functioning outcomes, such as disability, rather than physiologic impairments that lead to disability. Muscle weakness is an age-related impairment and a central mechanism of disability. Evaluating neighbourhood effects on muscle weakness may offer insight into physiologic mechanisms of disability. We examined the association between perceived neighbourhood disorder and muscle strength in a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 51+.Methods Among 11 277 participants (57% women; mean age: 66.6 years) in the Health and Retirement Study (2012–2014), we investigated whether self-reported neighbourhood physical disorder (1–7 scale)