Meet Baylor’s nationally recognized leader on physical activity & obesity

What role does grip strength play in predicting an individual’s overall health? While it’s just one small physical feat of many a human can perform, it can actually tell researchers a lot — and thanks to Baylor professor Paul Gordon, researchers now have the data to understand why it matters.

Dr. Paul Gordon serves as a professor in Baylor’s Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, where he has taught for nearly a decade after coming to Baylor from the University of Michigan in 2013. In over 30 years as a professor, he has built a nationally recognized and highly funded research portfolio expanding our understanding of physical activity, obesity and health, including nearly 40 multi-year investigations that have yielded long-term understanding.

Among his multi-year projects are studies analyzing grip strength and health in adolescents and children. While scientists had previously recognized that hand grip was an indicator of overall strength and a predictor of outcomes like cardiovascular disease, Gordon was the first to study adolescent health and grip strength over time. His longitudinal data provided snapshots of how low grip strength could predict risks, with the hope of encouraging lifestyle fitness changes to improve health long-term.

Among the many prestigious journals which have published Gordon’s research are the Journal of Pediatrics, American Journal of Medicine, and American Journal of Preventive Medicine. His expertise has been sought after by national outlets like CBS News, Science Daily, The Science Times, and countless local newspapers and TV stations.

Sic ’em, Dr. Gordon!