HM International Blog

The news is based on a study that assessed the walking speeds of over 3,000 elderly people and compared them to death records for several years after. Researchers, who took into account any existing heart disease or other illnesses the participants had, found that 6.9% of the slowest walkers died of heart disease compared to just 1.9% of the fastest walkers.

There are a number of possible explanations for the association between slow walking and heart disease. For example, people who already have undetected mild heart failure or early narrowing of the arteries in the legs could be slower walkers because of this.

There are a number of possible explanations for the association between slow walking and heart disease. For example, people who already have undetected mild heart failure or early narrowing of the arteries in the legs could be slower walkers because of this.

This research was conducted by Dr Julien Dumurgier and colleagues from the INSERM research foundation in Paris and other organisations in France. The study was supported by grants from INSERM, the Victor Segalen-Bordeaux II University and the Sanofi-Synthélabo Company.

which explored the relationship between slow walking speed and risk of death in older people. The researchers followed 3,208 French men and women aged 65 or older.

• Men with a maximum speed of 1.50 m/s (metres per second) or less.
• Men between 1.51 and 1.84 m/s.
• Men with a maximum speed of 1.85 m/s or more.
• Women with a maximum speed of 1.35 m/s or less.
• Women between 1.36 and 1.50 m/s.
• Women with a maximum speed of more than 1.50 m/s.

Other research has clearly shown that the heart benefits from physical activity, and this should be promoted.