Tally Up Another Score in the Walking Column

A recent multi-institutional study funded by the National Institute on Aging (click here) has found that predicting cardiovascular complications later in life is as simple as observing how much one walks on a daily basis.  A related finding reported elsewhere generalizes that seniors who expend the most energy in their daily activities live longer (reported in Reuters, click here).

Nearly 3,000 seniors between 70 and 79 were chosen at random from Medicare recipients in Pittsburgh, PA and Memphis, TN. Their performance on a quarter-mile walking test was recorded every six months and evaluated for an average of 4.9 years. The study has shown that “those who were able to complete a quarter-mile extended walking test were three times as likely to live longer and were less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and physical infirmity as they aged.” This study implies that the benefits of walking on a daily basis will greatly decrease mortality and more importantly increase the quality of life for aging seniors.

Add comment July 12th, 2006