Try 'This Test' Now... "Failing Means Earlier Death Compared to Peers"

Predicting Health Status and Lifespan
with Grip Strength and One-Leg Balance Tests

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A study has found that health status and lifespan can be predicted through a 'grip strength' (握力) test and a balance test standing on one leg.

On the 24th (local time), the British Daily Mail quoted American nutritionist Ed Jones, saying, "Grip strength is the cheapest and simplest way to assess physical health."

Grip strength refers to how strongly one can squeeze something with their hand. When exerting this force, many muscles and joints are used, from the hand to the forearm, upper arm, shoulder, and latissimus dorsi. Strong grip strength can reduce the risk of death from aging-related diseases such as ▲heart disease ▲type 2 diabetes ▲arthritis ▲some cancers.

Jones stated, "If you cannot hold a dumbbell weighing about three-quarters of your body weight for one minute, you have a higher chance of dying earlier than your peers," and added, "Training the strength of your hands and arms can help prevent aging and diseases, thereby reducing the risk of death." Exercises to improve grip strength in daily life include ▲making a fist and releasing it ▲twisting a towel as if wringing it ▲using hand grippers or rubber bands ▲holding and shaking several books. Grip strength exercises are effective when done consistently 3 to 4 times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes each session."

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Health status can also be checked by balancing on one leg. This posture uses the brain and various parts of the body simultaneously. As people age, the muscles that maintain body balance weaken, increasing the risk of injury. People who cannot maintain balance on one leg for more than 10 seconds have an increased risk of death within 10 years.

Scientists from the UK's National Health Service (NHS) say that the time to maintain balance should vary by age. For those aged 18 to 39, it is ideal to maintain balance on one leg for more than 40 seconds, 40 seconds for ages 40 to 49, 37 seconds for ages 50 to 59, 30 seconds for ages 60 to 69, 18 to 19 seconds for ages 70 to 79, and a goal of more than 5 seconds for those aged 80 and above.