Building Strength for better health outcomes

Peterson's advice to everyone is pretty straightforward: Get stronger. It doesn't really matter how you do it, or how much strength you ultimately gain. Even a little more strength means a little less weakness, and a little more life.

"Many studies have looked at strength as a predictor of positive health and weakness as a predictor of negative health outcomes," 

Among the health risks associated with low grip strength:

·       Type2 diabetes

·       Heart disease

·       Cancer

·       Dementia and Alzheimer'sdisease

·       Depression

·       Functional disability

·       Osteoporosis

·       Premature death from any cause

The prognostic merits of grip strength have been documented across continents and cultures. Although most of those studies have focused on older adults, they aren't the only age group researchers have looked at.

"We have several papers on the value of grip strength for predicting diabetes and cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents," Peterson says.

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