Grip strength is lower in adults born with extremely low birth weight compared to term-born controls.

Background: Grip strength predicts long-term morbidity and mortality in adults. We compared grip strength in adults born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW; under 1 kg) and a normal birth weight control group (NBW) and describe change in grip strength over a 10-year period in a longitudinal cohort study of preterm birth.

Methods: Grip strength, body composition, and device-measured physical activity were assessed in 95 mature adults (MA) born ELBW (age 31.