Of the 34,485 adults in the studies, people with average life expectancy walked at about 0.8 meter per second. For those with a gait speed of one meter per second or faster "survival was longer than expected by age and sex alone," the researchers noted in their article.
The life expectancy of brisk-walking women ranged from 87 to 88, and from 85 to 87 in brisk-walking men. Slow-walking women, on the other hand, had a life expectancy of 72 to 85. Men who walked slow had a life expectancy of 65 to 81.
The study builds on previous research that shows the benefits of moving faster. Walking faster will naturally increase your stride length, another predictor of longevity and future health.
These individuals had a life expectancy up to 20 years longer than their slower walking peers. The team in this study notes that they did not find a link between walking slower and telomere length growing shorter.
The length of participants' telomeres was also measured, and researchers found that people with a faster self-reported walking pace were more likely to have longer telomeres. The findings suggested that brisk walking led to a lower biological age, rather than the other way round.
Exercise is one of the best ways to delay aging. And with good reason: too much time sitting (sedentary behavior) is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and an early death. Aerobic activity is any activity that causes you to breathe harder than normal and your heart to beat faster.
New study says decline begins in our 50s
By the time you reach your 50s, your strength, balance and endurance are already beginning to wane — much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.
The findings of the study reveal that slow walkers are 2.9 times more likely to die from a heart attack, stroke, and related causes as compared to those who walked fast. This was common in the case of both men and women.
Along with lower IQ, slow walkers have an increased risk of developing dementia and their brains age faster than those of fast walkers.
The research showed that late people tend to feel less stressed and more relaxed. This leads to lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, greater cardiovascular health, lower risk of stroke and lower chance of depression - all in all making them live longer lives.
With that, the study notes that “any combination of medium to high levels” of vigorous (75 to 300 minutes per week) and moderate physical activity (150 to 600 minutes per week) “can provide nearly the maximum mortality reduction,” which is about 35% to 42%.
Women live longer than men across the world and scientists have by and large linked the sex differences in longevity with biological foundation to survival. A new study of wild mammals has found considerable differences in life span and aging in various mammalian species.
Slower walking speed in the elderly may be explained by loss of muscle strength and mass. Summary: Research has found that elderly people walk at a slower speed and tire more quickly because of loss of strength and mass in leg muscles.
Having an inactive lifestyle can be one of the causes of many chronic diseases. By not getting regular exercise, you raise your risk of: Obesity. Heart diseases, including coronary artery disease and heart attack.
It found that people who exercised between 2.6 and 4.5 hours a week (156 to 270 minutes) had the most improvement in life expectancy. They were about 50 percent less likely to die in a 25-year period than those who didn't exercise.
Adults aged 65 and older need: At least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or they need 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running.
Older adults who walk three to four miles a day — 6,000 to 9,000 steps — were found to be 40 to 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who walk a mile (2,000 steps) a day, according to research published in the journal Circulation.
Generally, older adults in good physical shape walk somewhere between 2,000 and 9,000 steps daily. This translates into walking distances of 1 and 4-1/2 miles respectively. Increasing the walking distance by roughly a mile will produce health benefits.
People with a slow walker personality are usually looking out for themselves and are more self-centered. Slow walkers are found to be involved with themselves or their activities. Usually, people with this walking style are found to be relaxed and content when in their own company.
Walkers — devices with wheeled frames and suspended seats that let babies move around using their feet — are indeed a safety hazard. Walkers are a leading cause of injuries in babies, so health and safety experts strongly discourage their use. While in walkers, babies can roll into hot stoves, heaters, and pools.
As a result, diseases that affect the brain, like vascular disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, can all make it difficult to walk.” The way you walk can give early warning signs of these diseases.
For example, the team suggests that the biological aging process isn't steady and appears to accelerate periodically — with the greatest bursts coming, on average, around ages 34, 60, and 78.
What's happening. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance and flexibility — factors that can affect your coordination, stability and balance.