A new study reveals that a simple hand grip test could help to predict a person's heart attack risk, stroke risk, or risk of death. The hand strength test is simple, easy, and more effective than similar traditional tests.
The study tracked the health of nearly 140,000 people in 17 countries. During the four-year study, 3,379 participants died, according to The Australian.
The study's participants used an instrument called a dynamometer for the hand strength test. About four years later, the researchers conducted a medical follow-up.
Dr. Darryl Leong of Canada's McMaster University was the lead researcher of the study. He discovered that there was a link between one's grip strength and a risk of disease or lower life expectancy.
A drop in grip strength of 5 kg (11 lbs.) from the baseline average was linked to a 9 percent rise in stroke risk, and a 7 percent boost in heart attack risk. It was also linked to a 16 percent upturn in risk of death, according to Huffington Post.
Leong explained that the hand grip strength test was a better predictor of risk of death than blood pressure and physical activity levels. It was also generally better than those tests at predicting stroke risk and heart disease risk.
The study highlights the importance of strength and muscle tone in sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Avan Aihie Sayer of England's University of Southampton explained that such physical disability is linked to shorter life expectancies.
Leong explained that the simple hand grip test could be practical in "low-resource settings." However, more research is needed first to determine how to upgrade the medical test.
The study was easily the biggest and most complete study of the hand grip test's accuracy. The findings were recently published in the health journal The Lancet.