Speaking on the Nutrition World Podcast, the health expert revealed that there is a simple test which ‘doctors never ask about’ that could suggest you’re en route to an early grave, which he dubbed ‘grip strength’.

He explained: “If you can’t hold a dumbbell that’s 3/4ths of your weight for one minute, you will die earlier than you would if you were stronger. That beats cholesterol, it beats every blood test.

“How many health professionals have asked you that? None, none.”

Elaborating on this, he explained that a person’s grip strength is a ‘marker for how everything else will weaken’.

“Everything,” Jones continued. “Your heart, every system of your body.

“If you can do this with the right weights, everything else is stronger. The stronger and resilient body ages slower and has less disease.”

Those who are unable to do so might want to work on building some strength up to turn the tables, he explained.

Plenty of studies back up this idea, as those who tend to be stronger are at lower risk of deadly diseases as well as cardiovascular and respiratory issues.

But even if you’re not convinced that the grip strength test will yield any accurate results, surely there is no harm in giving it a go, is there?

Dig out those dumbbells, people!