How One Simple Exercise Can Reveal Your Chances of Longevity

Researchers have found that a simple physical exercise can predict your chances of living longer. In a national fitness program, over 13,000 participants aged 65 and older performed tests of strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. The most predictive were tests of dynamic balance and agility. Those with better results had a 41% lower risk of premature death, and successfully standing on one leg reduced the risk by 50%.

Scientists have established a link between physical fitness and longevity. A simple exercise can predict your chances of living longer. Researchers analyzed data from over thirteen thousand participants aged 65 and older who, as part of a national fitness program, performed a set of standard tasks testing strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. The results were compared with official mortality statistics, tracking the health of volunteers for nearly seven years. During this period, 1,631 deaths were recorded. The most predictive were tests of dynamic balance and agility. The most telling task required standing up from a chair, quickly walking a distance of 2.44 meters around a cone, and returning. In the group with the slowest times, mortality was significantly higher. Even after adjusting for comorbidities, age, and lifestyle, those with better speed and agility had a 41% lower risk of premature death. Successfully standing on one leg reduced this risk by 50%. The scientists explain that maintaining balance requires the simultaneous work of vision, leg muscles, the vestibular system, and brain coordination. A poor result may indicate hidden health problems. Good coordination reduces the risk of falls and fractures.