How Fast You Walk Can Predict Your Health and Longevity: A Simple Test to Assess Your Fitness
Walking is often associated with general fitness, but did you know that it can also reveal key insights into your overall health and potential longevity? Experts say that the speed at which you walk may offer valuable clues about your fitness levels and even your risk for certain diseases and health conditions. A quick test could provide more information than you realize.
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The 6-Second Walking Test
Research has shown that your walking speed is linked to your physical function and longevity. A simple test, involving walking a distance of 6 meters as quickly as possible, can indicate how well you are doing in terms of your physical health.
Here’s how you can perform the test:
- Find a flat, straight path that is 6 meters (or about 19.68 feet) long.
- Use a stopwatch and walk as fast as you can across the distance.
- Start the timer as soon as you cross the starting line, not before.
- If you’re warming up, start about 2-3 meters behind the line to get your full speed.
For older adults, completing the test in under 6 seconds (walking at 1 meter per second) indicates high-functioning gait speed. On the other hand, walking the same distance in over 8.6 seconds may signal a higher risk for falls or hospitalization.
Why Your Walking Speed Matters
Gait speed, or how quickly you walk, can be a strong indicator of your overall health. Slower walking speeds are often associated with higher risks of falls, heart problems, and cognitive decline. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that slower walking speeds correlate with faster biological aging and a greater risk of brain and heart diseases.
A 2019 study published in JAMA Network Open found that people with slower gait speeds had smaller brains and thinner brain cortices. These factors are linked to cognitive decline, such as problems with memory, reasoning, and processing speed. A different study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that older women with faster walking speeds had a 34% reduced risk of heart failure compared to those who walked more slowly.
How to Improve Your Gait Speed
As we age, our gait speed naturally slows down. However, experts suggest that you can maintain or even improve your walking speed with the right lifestyle choices. Incorporating more walking into your daily routine can boost your muscle strength, balance, and endurance.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends walking briskly for at least 150 minutes a week. Short, frequent bursts of walking are just as beneficial as longer, more sustained walking sessions. Not only does this help with your gait speed, but it also lowers your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers.
