Scientists named a simple way to find out if a person will live to 80 years

Japanese scientists have revealed the secret of longevity: walking speed can predict who will live to 80 years. Researchers found that elderly people who maintain an active pace of movement after 70 years have almost one hundred percent chances of living at least another decade.

Since 1997, Japanese gerontologists have been studying the walking speed of people aged sixty to eighty years. After ten years of observations, specialists noted that over time, the average walking speed in Japan increased by five to ten percent. This indicates that the aging process of the population began to occur several years later than it used to, and old age itself is now accompanied by a lower level of physical weakness and loss of strength.

One of the most interesting discoveries was that walking speed is directly related to the probability of longevity. For young people, the average walking speed is approximately one and five-tenths meters per second. If a person maintains the same speed of movement at the age of seventy, the probability of living to eighty years significantly increases. However, if the walking speed decreases to zero point five meters per second, the chances of a long life sharply decrease: only fifteen to thirty-five percent of men can live to eighty years, and among women this indicator is slightly higher.

It is worth emphasizing that walking speed is not just an indicator of physical activity, but also an indicator of a person's overall health. Good physical shape, maintaining mobility and activity in old age contribute not only to increasing life expectancy, but also to improving its quality. Regular walks and moderate physical activity help maintain cardiovascular health, normalize blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which also positively affects the duration and activity of life.

Source: Cursorinfo.co.il