Multivariable reference centiles for maximum grip strength in childhood to young adults

Maximum grip strength (mGS) is a useful predictor of health-related outcomes in children and adults. The aim of the study was to generate sex- and age-adjusted reference centiles for mGS for children, adolescents and young adults, while adjusting for body height and body mass index (BMI).

A retrospective analysis of longitudinal data from children and young adults participating in the DOrtmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed (DONALD) study (single center, open cohort study) from 2004 to 2022 was conducted. To generate sex-, age-, height- and BMI-adjusted reference centiles, a new algorithm combining multiple linear regression and the LMS method was conducted.

Overall, 3325 measurements of mGS of 465 females and 511 males were eligible. The mean age at measurement of females was 12.6 ± 3.9 years, mean age of males was 12.4 ± 4.7 years. The median of number of repeated measurements per individual was 3 (range 1-8). The mGS was significantly (p < 0.001) correlated to body height and BMI (r = 0.303-0.432). Additional reference centiles for the change of z-scores of mGS were generated for children and young adults from 8 to 20 years.

We proposed to evaluate mGS in children, adolescents and young adults with the presented reference centiles adjusted to sex, age, height and BMI. The method presented may also be applicable to other biological variables that depend more than just on sex and age. For the first time, also reference centiles to assess the change of mGS in repeated measurements were presented.