Seniors who walk quickly are less likely to die from
cardiovascular disease than their slower walking peers, a new study finds.
Researchers at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in
Paris measured the walking speed of more than 3,200 seniors aged 65 to 85. Over
the next five years, follow-up exams tracked the participants' health
information. Seniors with a slower gait were 44% more likely to die during the
study and three times as likely to develop cardiovascular disease than the
quicker walking seniors, according to the report.
Walking speed has long been an indicator of risk of
future frailty and other adverse health conditions among seniors, researchers
note. This new study shows for the first time a clear link between slower
walking and cardiovascular disease. The report appears in the Nov 10 online
edition of BMJ.