By IANS
New York : The speed of walking may reveal how long an elderly person will survive, says a new study by scientists in the US.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh analysed data of 492 adults aged 65 and older for a decade and found that faster walkers are substantially more likely to outlive the slower ones.
The study adjusted for gender, race, age, chronic illness and hospitalisation and found that walking speed appeared to be an independent predictor of longevity.
Research found that 27 percent of the fastest walkers had died by the end of the decade as compared to 77 percent of the slowest walkers, reported the online edition of The Washington Post.
While fastest walkers had covered the equivalent of 2.5 mph on a treadmill, slowest walkers were able to walk less than 1.5 mph.
Walking speed can mirror the health of many body parts like heart, lungs, limbs, and the circulatory system, the scientists said.