Background: Skeletal muscle depletion, known as sarcopenia, is characterized by decrease in muscle mass and function. Recent reports demonstrated that sarcopenia was a significant risk factor for complications in colorectal cancer surgery. This study aimed to evaluate impact of preoperative sarcopenia on morbidity in gastric cancer surgery. Methods: Between May 2011 and June 2013, 293 consecutive primary gastric cancer patients who underwent curative surgery were retrospectively examined. All patients received the same perioperative care of enhanced recovery after surgery program. Preoperative skeletal muscle mass was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis and was expressed as skeletal muscle index or SMI (muscle mass/height²) by adjusting absolute muscle mass with height. Preoperative muscle function was measured by hand grip strength (HGS). Each cutoff value was determined as the gender-specific lowest 20% of the distribution of each measurement. Grade 2 or higher morbidity, evaluated by Clavien-Dindo classification, was picked-up from the patient record. Risk factor for morbidity was examined by uni- and multi-variate analyses. Results: Median age (range) was 68 years (37-85 years). Male to female ratio was 192:101. Operative procedure was 122 total, 169 distal, and 2 proximal gastrectomy. Lymphadenectomy was 162 D1+ and 131 D2 including 53 splenectomy. Pathological stage was I in 149, II in 39, III in 91, and IV in 14 patients. Morbidity included 7 pancreatic leakage, 12 anastomotic leakage, 4 intra-abdominal abscess, and others. In total, morbidity was observed in 39 patients (13.3%); 21 in grade 2, 16 in grade 3a, 1 in grade 3b, and 1 in grade 4. No mortality was observed. Univariate analysis showed that male, total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and low HGS were significant risk factor for morbidity. Low SMI was not a risk factor. By multi-variate analysis, low HGS(HR 2.457, p=0.029), male(HR 2.610, p=0.038)and total gastrectomy(HR 2.747, p=0.027)remained significant. Conclusions: Low hand grip strength was one of significant risk factor for morbidity in gastric cancer surgery. Hand grip strength as a surgical risk has a value to be examined in the future prospective studies.