Sep 14, 2025
12:30 PM2:00 PM
Poster Tour
Poster Tour V: Nutritional Assessment 1
Jan GOJDANatascha Van Rijssen
PT28.
HANDGRIP STRENGTH: NORMATIVE REFERENCE VALUES FOR AN ADULT SWISS POPULATION
M. Plenc Ziegler1,*, W. Jimaja1, Y. M. Dupertuis1, C. Graf 2, S. De Breucker2, V. L. Karsegard1, L. Genton1, L. Wilmart1
1Clinical Nutrition , 2Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Rationale: Handgrip strength (HGS) is an indicator of muscle function, nutritional status and sarcopenia. Individual HGS measurements should be interpreted in the context of geographic reference values. This study aims to establish new reference values for HGS in an adult Swiss population, stratified by age and sex.
Methods: This observational study included individuals who visited the hospital booth during a public annual event in Geneva from 2021 to 2023. Participants’ age, sex, and measurements of weight, height and HGS were recorded. HGS was measured using a hydraulic dynamometer, and the highest value of three measurements taken on the dominant hand was retained. Normative reference values are presented as means ±2 SD, stratified by sex and 10-year age groups.
Results: We included 1412 participants (51% women), with a mean age of 44 ±16 years, BMI 23.8 ± 3.5 kg/m2 and height 171 ± 9 cm. The ethnic phenotype was Caucasian in 86% of the cases. The highest values were observed in adults aged 25 to 34 years, followed by a gradual decline with age, which becomes more pronounced after 55 years. The table below shows the studied values for HGS.
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Conclusion: The normative values established in this study may serve as a reference for the clinical assessment of HGS in our population. Future research should further investigate the influence of lifestyle factors, ethnicity, and comorbidities on HGS in our population, and include a larger number of older individuals.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared