Mixed
Handgrip strength reference ranges vary significantly by geographic region and ethnicity, meaning a single global standard is invalid for clinical risk stratification.
If you are using handgrip strength to assess your health or frailty risk, do not compare your score to a generic global chart. Your 'normal' depends heavily on your geographic region and ethnicity. Use region-specific reference ranges to accurately interpret your strength levels, as values in South Asia or Africa are naturally lower than those in Europe or North America.
The key finding from this analysis is that median HGS differs among the geographic regions and ethnic groups studied. Therefore individual HGS measurements should be interpreted using region/ethnic-specific reference ranges.
Why this rating
Large-scale prospective cohort study (n=125,462) across 21 countries.
Source
Reference ranges of handgrip strength from 125,462 healthy adults in 21 countries: a prospective urban rural epidemiologic (PURE) study
Darryl P. Leong et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2016
DOI 10.1002/jcsm.12112
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →