Grip strength is a simple functional measure that, in large population studies, is consistently linked to the risk of death and cardiovascular disease – the lower the average grip strength in a group of people, the higher the statistical risk in that group. That does not mean one measurement can predict how long any individual person will live. It is what researchers call a vulnerable marker: a reflection of the body's overall resilience, worth tracking over time and alongside other results – not a number to panic over.
The PURE study (Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology) is a large international cohort study that followed roughly 140,000 adults across 17 countries spanning high, middle and low income economies. Published in The Lancet in 2015, it remains one of the most cited pieces of research linking hand grip strength to mortality and cardiovascular disease.
The headline finding was simple and easy to remember: every 5 kg decrease in grip strength was associated with roughly a 16% higher risk of death from any cause, with a hazard ratio around 1.16 per 5 kg drop. A similarly strong relationship held for cardiovascular mortality specifically.
What made the study stand out even more was its comparison with systolic blood pressure, a well-established cardiovascular marker. In the PURE data, grip strength predicted overall and cardiovascular mortality more strongly than systolic blood pressure alone. That is a big part of why grip strength started being discussed as a cheap, fast and genuinely informative screening tool worth tracking alongside standard checkups.
Grip strength is not an isolated property of the hand. It reflects how well the neuromuscular system works as a whole – how effectively the brain and nerves communicate with muscle, how much functional muscle a person has, and how efficiently that muscle can be recruited in the moment of the test. To some degree, it also relates to broader vascular and metabolic health.
That is why grip strength is grouped with so-called vulnerable markers – simple functional measures that are not diseases themselves but reflect the body's overall resilience and reserve. Walking speed and the ability to stand up from a chair without using the hands belong in the same category.
This is where grip strength connects to InBody. Muscle mass measured on InBody shows how much muscle the body has. InGrip adds a functional layer on top: how much force a person can actually generate from that muscle at a given moment. Quantity and functional quality of muscle are not the same thing, and together they give a much more complete picture.
No, and it is worth understanding what a number like a hazard ratio of 1.16 actually means. It is a statistical description of the difference in risk between groups within a studied population, not an individual forecast for a specific person. One grip strength measurement cannot tell you how long you personally will live.
It is also true that correlation does not equal causation. Low grip strength does not, by itself, shorten life – it tends to be a consequence of factors that independently raise risk: older age, chronic illness, inactivity, poor nutrition or muscle loss. In this sense, grip strength works as a sensitive indicator of what is already happening in the body, not as a cause in its own right.
So a single measurement does not support any dramatic conclusion. What matters is repeated measurement and the trend over time – whether strength stays stable, improves, or gradually declines. Claims along the lines of 'low grip strength means you'll die soon' are misleading and do not reflect what studies like PURE actually show.
Grip strength is always assessed in context – relative to age, sex, body size, and whether it is the dominant or non-dominant hand. There is no single universal 'healthy number' for everyone, because the natural range across people is genuinely wide.
In clinical practice, low grip strength is also used as one of the criteria when assessing probable sarcopenia in older adults. Under the international EWGSOP2 consensus (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People), a grip strength below roughly 27 kg in men and 16 kg in women is used as an orientation screening threshold. These figures are meant to guide further professional assessment, not to serve as a universal diagnostic cutoff for everyone.
Extra attention is warranted when a result sits clearly below the expected range, when it drops quickly between measurements, or when it appears alongside other signs – unintended weight loss, marked fatigue, worse balance, or more frequent falls. In that situation, evaluation belongs with a doctor or other qualified professional, not just another home measurement.
The table below describes only the general direction grip strength tends to follow across a population – it is not a set of diagnostic thresholds or exact figures. Differences between sources and populations are large, so it makes far more sense to track your own result and its trend over time with InGrip than to compare yourself against a table.
| Area | Age decade | Typical pattern in men | Typical pattern in women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–39 years | near lifetime peak strength | near lifetime peak strength | |
| 40–59 years | gradual, usually mild decline | gradual, usually mild decline | |
| 60–74 years | more noticeable decline, pace varies a lot | more noticeable decline, pace varies a lot | |
| 75 years and up | lowest orientation range, a rapid drop is worth attention | lowest orientation range, a rapid drop is worth attention |
InGrip measures grip strength repeatedly under a consistent protocol, so results across visits are genuinely comparable. A single number on its own does not say much – it becomes meaningful once you have a series of measurements showing whether strength stays stable, improves, or declines.
Strength training benefits grip strength, especially exercise that engages the grip and upper body – from classic resistance training to dead hangs to working with dumbbells. Realistically, strength can be improved at essentially any age, but the improvement is gradual and depends on consistency rather than a single intense session.
Grip strength is most useful read alongside other measures rather than in isolation – muscle mass on InBody, and where relevant, vascular condition measured on Max Pulse. Combining a structural, functional and vascular view gives a far more reliable picture than any single number on its own.
Grip strength is one of several simple functional health markers that research links to longevity, alongside walking speed, the ability to rise from a chair, and aerobic fitness (VO2max). None of them is a complete picture of health on its own.
It is worth keeping in mind that grip strength does not replace a medical examination or a comprehensive health assessment. It is an orientation, supplementary signal – fast, inexpensive and easy to repeat, but not a diagnostic tool.
That is exactly why it makes sense to track grip strength regularly rather than once. As part of measurement at MojeInBody in Prague, InGrip naturally connects with InBody results, so you see structure and function side by side over time – which is the context in which grip strength actually earns its value as a marker.
About the measurement
The main page about grip strength measurement and how InGrip complements InBody.
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FAQ
Low grip strength is an orientation signal that it is worth paying attention to overall muscle function and related context, such as age, activity level and health status. On its own it is not a diagnosis; it makes sense read in context and tracked as a trend over time, not as one isolated number.
There is no universal norm that applies to everyone – values differ by age, sex, body size and the source you compare against. In general, grip strength tends to peak in early adulthood and gradually decline from roughly the 40s or 50s onward, though the pace of decline varies a lot between individuals and is influenced by physical activity.
Yes. Regular strength training, especially exercise that engages the grip and upper body, improves grip strength at essentially any age. The improvement tends to be gradual, showing up over weeks and months of consistent training rather than after a few sessions.
Yes, low grip strength is one of the criteria used under the international EWGSOP2 consensus when assessing probable sarcopenia in older adults. A single low measurement on its own does not diagnose sarcopenia, though – that requires a broader assessment including muscle mass and physical function.
Not directly – it is not a diagnostic heart test. But in large population studies, low grip strength is statistically associated with higher cardiovascular risk at the group level. If your result is unusually low or dropping quickly alongside other symptoms, it is worth discussing with a doctor.
Sources
Grip strength is a simple, highly repeatable measure whose real value shows up as a trend, not as a single isolated number. At MojeInBody in Prague, we measure InGrip alongside InBody, so you see muscle mass and functional strength together and can follow how both develop between visits.