As someone who values staying healthy in both mind and body, I naturally want to extend that wellness — and my lifespan. That’s why I found Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia such a compelling read. The book focuses not on treating disease after it arises, but on preventing it in the first place.
One standout takeaway is how certain simple measurements can help predict longevity. One of the simplest? Hand grip strength.
Research shows that strong grip strength — a general indicator of overall health — is linked to a significantly lower risk of death from all causes, including cancer, dementia and cardiovascular disease. In fact, studies involving thousands to over 3 million people have reported up to a 45% reduction in all-cause mortality for those with good grip strength.
The bottom line: While we can’t avoid death, we can push it back — often by 10 to 20 years of quality life — by staying physically, mentally, emotionally and nutritionally healthy.
Curious about your own grip strength? Covenant Health Fitness Center is offering free testing. To schedule, call 865-531-5000 and ask for Karen Shotwell. For reference, a healthy grip strength is 35 kg or more for men and 25 kg or more for women.
Want to dig deeper? Search “hand grip strength and mortality” on PubMed.gov for the scientific studies behind the stats.
Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday for a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.
