A mechanical hand grip dynamometer was used to derive age‐ and sex‐related standard grip strengths from 247 healthy volunteers between 16 and 95 yr old. Preoperative grip strength was measured in 90 patients and related to postoperative complication rates. A grip strength of 85% standard for age and sex was found to be the most effective cut‐off for prediction of postoperative complications in terms of sensitivity and specificity, predicting 74% of the complications (p<0.05). Specificity is improved over previously published standards related to sex alone especially when assessing the elderly patient (50%vs21%). A grip strength below the recommended cut‐off for age and sex suggests that the patient is in a high‐risk group and demands further investigation of nutritional status. Studies of pre‐operative nutritional support for the at risk group need to be undertaken.(Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition13:30–33, 1989)