Association between mid-upper arm circumference and perceived stress in Chinese adults and older adults: a cross-sectional study

This study indicated that individuals with greater arm circumference tended to report lower stress levels in Chinese adults aged 60 years and older, suggesting exploratory evidence of MUAC's potential. However, its ability to discriminate perceived stress levels was limited, indicating that MUAC alone is not appropriate as an independent screening tool. It may serve as a simple, low-cost, and complementary indicator in population-based or resource-limited settings, pending further validation in longitudinal studies and integration with other anthropometric or psychosocial measures.