Grip Strength: A Revealer of Age and Health Status


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Grip Strength: A Revealer of Age and Health Status
Grip Strength: A Revealer of Age and Health Status

The popular expression "having a strong grip" takes on a whole new meaning here. Austrian scientific researchers have recently demonstrated that grip strength is a reliable marker of a person's biological age and overall health.

Based on the results of approximately fifty studies conducted worldwide on groups of individuals of varying ages, this research indicates that grip strength could be "one of the most effective ways to measure a person's actual age as they grow older, similar to other biomarkers such as cognitive decline, blood pressure, leg strength, arterial condition, or post-hospitalization recovery capacity," as reported by Metronews.

Thus, the firmness of a handshake not only reveals a person's self-confidence, energy, or momentary weakness but also their age and state of health.

"A large amount of data on grip strength testing can be found in most major aging-related research," explains Warren Sanderson, one of the authors of the study published in Plos One.

Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that individuals who have completed higher education age more slowly than those who discontinued their education before completing high school. To the extent that "a 65-year-old woman without a diploma would have grip strength equivalent to a 69-year-old woman with a higher level of education," according to the results of this research.

But that's not all; the grip strength test, considered reliable and cost-effective compared to many health examinations, can provide insights from a young age. For example, in Sweden, a study conducted on 1.14 million adolescents followed for 25 years revealed that "those with below-average grip strength had a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases."

In conclusion, if one wishes to conceal their age or health status, it might be better to refrain from shaking hands or opt for a friendly kiss instead!

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