Table 2 Comparisons of handgrip strength measurements by demographic characteristics (N = 3446, male = 1424, female = 2022)

Age (year)

  35–40

208

38.48 (9.40)^a

36.33 (8.52)^b

39.43 (9.03)^c

419

22.38 (5.54)^a

20.10 (5.27)^b

22.78 (5.36)^c

  41–50

487

37.03 (8.27)^a

34.09 (7.77)^b

37.82 (7.97)^c

803

22.06 (5.97)^a

19.81 (5.66)^b

22.51 (5.83)^c

  51–60

481

32.48 (7.88)^a

30.25 (7.65)^b

33.20 (7.74)^c

540

19.75 (5.30)^a

17.74 (5.07)^b

20.25 (5.13)^c

  61–70

248

29.04 (7.72)^a

27.25 (7.55)^b

29.93 (7.43)^c

260

18.14 (5.90)^a

16.53 (5.69)^b

18.70 (5.84)^c

Marital status

  Single

20

34.86 (8.96)

33.03 (6.95)

35.98 (7.89)

50

21.31 (5.25)^a

19.05 (4.22)^b

21.79 (4.95)^c

  Married

1372

34.46 (9.23)

32.05 (8.60)

35.27 (9.00)

1754

21.28 (5.86)^a

19.11 (5.61)^b

21.74 (5.72)^c

  Separated

27

32.48 (8.99)

29.32 (9.26)

32.75 (9.17)

213

18.63 (5.77)^a

17.12 (5.35)^b

19.18 (5.59)^c

Education level

  None

65

29.75 (11.26)^a

28.38 (10.92)^b

30.52 (10.98)^c

213

17.92 (6.09)^a

16.46 (6.10)^b

18.70 (5.97)^c

  Primary

414

31.78 (8.08)^a

29.77 (7.64)^b

32.66 (7.75)^c

523

20.34 (5.92)^a

18.14 (5.73)^b

20.76 (5.87)^c

  Secondary

641

35.71 (9.23)^a

33.19 (8.68)^b

36.48 (9.10)^c

943

21.75 (5.66)^a

19.53 (5.32)^b

22.19 (5.45)^c

  Tertiary

304

36.30 (9.06)^a

33.32 (8.29)^b

37.09 (8.72)^c

342

21.89 (5.63)^a

19.81 (5.11)^b

22.30 (5.50)^c

Occupation

  White collar

651

34.85 (8.81)^a

32.14 (8.23)^b

35.55 (8.65)^c

586

21.74 (5.54)^a

19.59 (5.24)^b

22.16 (5.41)^c

  Blue collar

692

34.60 (9.37)^a

32.40 (8.73)^b

35.48 (9.06)^c

197

21.45 (6.62)^a

19.70 (6.04)^b

22.07 (6.28)^c

  Homemaker

60

28.58 (9.28)^a

26.51 (7.99)^b

29.37 (8.80)^c

1229

20.56 (5.89)^a

18.43 (5.63)^b

21.03 (5.76)^c

SES

  Low

450

33.00 (9.12)^a

31.29 (8.33)

34.01 (8.63)^c

575

20.88 (6.14)

19.14 (5.83)

21.49 (5.93)

  Medium

825

35.20 (9.39)^a

32.43 (8.84)

35.90 (9.30)^c

1215

21.07 (5.97)

18.74 (5.64)

21.47 (5.84)

  High

149

34.40 (7.92)^a

31.82 (7.83)

35.17 (7.80)^c

232

20.98 (4.73)

19.10 (4.49)

21.43 (4.61)

Physical activity

  Low

440

33.12 (9.18)^a

31.09 (8.82)^b

34.06 (9.03)^c

563

20.59 (5.84)

18.43 (5.47)

21.07 (5.72)

  High

844

34.99 (9.14)^a

32.40 (8.42)^b

35.76 (8.92)^c

1323

21.04 (5.82)

18.99 (5.49)

21.50 (5.64)