Preventive Care, Active Lifestyle and Healthy Diet Help Increase Strength, Healthspan and Lifespan

• Grip strength is globally regarded as a reliable indicator of overall health with its connection to muscle strength, immune health, chronic disease risk and longevity
• Hong Kong grip strength weaker compared to Japan, Europe, North America and Australia
• Living longer better vs. just living should be a primary goal
• Average grip strength of women begins to decline as early as 35
• Despite Hong Kong leading the world in life expectancy1 , more than 30 percent fall into the “Weak” grip strength category; more than 20 percent never exercise and more than 55 percent engage only in low-intensity exercises

HONG KONG, 30 January 2024– Humansa (www.humansahealth.com), the Hong Kong-based health and wellness company, today revealed concerning research findings from the Hong Kong community into citizens’ grip strength. Under New World Development (www.nwd.com.hk), Humansa is a pioneer in redefining preventive healthcare and wellness.

Grip strength is globally regarded as a reliable indicator of overall health with its connection to muscle strength, immune health, chronic disease risk and longevity. In addition, it functions as a biomarker of aging as research indicates that individuals with weaker grip strength exhibit signs of accelerated DNA aging.2 Put more directly, the New York Post reported in February 2023, “if you have a limp handshake, you could be at risk of dying younger.”3

Humansa sought to gain a better understanding of the health status of the Hong Kong community by launching the Humansa GripFit Hong Kong Challenge (the “GripFit Challenge”). The initiative engaged Hongkongers and findings revealed a concerning disparity in the community’s grip strength compared to many developed regions, including Japan, Europe, North America and Australia. Conducted from 2 to 19 November 2023, the GripFit Challenge collected data from 2,343 individuals spanning different age groups and demographics. Participants, ranging from 14 to 86 years old, measured their grip strength using a hand dynamometer and provided additional insights into their exercise frequency, intensity, and daily food consumption.

Key findings from the GripFit Challenge reveal similar grip strength patterns between genders, peaking in early adulthood and remaining relatively stable through midlife before gradually declining. However, there is cause for concern as the average grip strength for women begins to decline as early as 35 to 40 years old, whereas for men this decline typically begins at age 50. It is crucial to highlight that maintaining good handgrip strength in midlife can protect against old age disabilities and health issues. Grip strength in Humansa’s Hong Kong sample pool trends average against key Asian countries (including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand) at peak ages (20 to 40) as shown in Figure 1 and yet is weaker than that of developed regions such as Japan, Europe, North America, and Australia4.

Figure 1: Grip strength in Humansa’s Hong Kong sample pool vs other regions