Simple test to predict death

Researchers have found that a simple test like the ability or inability to stand up on one leg can predict if men and women aged 53 years are at risk of premature death or not.

According to the research, if a 53 year old man can balance himself on one leg for more than 10 seconds and stand up and sit down in a chair more than 37 times in a minute, he is least likely to die early.

For women, again aged 53, if she could balance on one leg for more than 10 seconds and stand up and sit down more than 35 times in a minute, and stand on one leg for more than 10 seconds, she was in the low-risk category.

The researchers led by Rachel Cooper at the Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at University College London examined the associations of grip strength, chair rise speed and standing balance time at age 53 with death rates from all-causes over the following 13 years.

The survey tracked the health of over 5,000 people since their births in 1946.

Low levels of physical capability especially weak grip strength, slow chair rise speed and poor standing balance performance have been found to accurately indicate poorer chances of survival over the next 13 years.

Also, low intensity physical activity each day is linked to a reduced risk of developing disability in adults.

There was a 12 times higher death rate in men and women with poor grip strength, chair rise speed and standing balance time at age 53.

Around age 53, check these; if poor, it may still not be late to improve!