Most people think of aging in terms of birthdays. Doctors often consider a person’s age and medical conditions when estimating health risks.
However, scientists have increasingly found that how well an older person functions in daily life may sometimes be a better measure of health than age alone.
A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel has added another piece to this puzzle. The research, published in the journal Gerontology, suggests that the speed at which an older adult can begin taking a step while simultaneously performing a thinking task may provide valuable information about long-term survival.
The study was led by Professor Itshak Melzer and involved researchers from Ben-Gurion University, Soroka University Medical Center, the University of Minnesota, and RxFunction Inc.
The team followed 120 older adults living independently in the community. The participants completed a series of balance tests and were then followed for between 10 and 17 years.
The researchers were interested in understanding whether physical performance and balance could predict future health outcomes.
Earlier studies had already shown that slower walking speed is linked to increased risks of disability, hospitalization, and death. The researchers wondered whether a rapid stepping test could provide even more information.
The participants first completed a simple test. They were asked to take a step as quickly as possible after receiving a signal. They then completed a more challenging version of the test. This time, they had to step quickly while also performing a mental exercise.
The mental challenge was a modified Stroop task. In this task, people see words representing colors, but the words are printed in different colors.
For example, the word “blue” might be printed in red ink. Participants must ignore the written word and say the color of the ink instead. This exercise requires attention, concentration, and mental flexibility.
The researchers discovered that performance during this distracted stepping test was strongly linked to survival. Every additional one-tenth of a second needed to begin the step was associated with approximately a 28 percent increase in the risk of death during the follow-up period.
Why might such a tiny delay matter? The answer may lie in the complex cooperation between the brain and the body. Starting a step is not a simple action.
It requires sensing information, making decisions, planning movement, maintaining balance, and activating muscles in a precise sequence. When a person must also think about another task at the same time, the brain’s processing abilities become even more important.
The researchers suggest that slower performance during the dual-task test may reflect reduced neurological and physical reserve. In other words, some older adults may need to use a larger share of their mental resources just to perform an ordinary movement. This could indicate reduced resilience and a greater vulnerability to future health problems.
The researchers also measured static balance by examining body sway while participants stood still. Although these measurements also predicted survival to some extent, they were not as effective as the stepping tests.
One of the most promising aspects of the research is its practicality. The stepping assessment is relatively easy to perform and does not require expensive technology. It could potentially become an accessible screening tool in clinics and rehabilitation settings.
Another encouraging finding is that stepping performance can improve. Earlier studies have shown that balance training, exercise programs, and rehabilitation can enhance stepping ability and reduce the risk of falls. Therefore, identifying people with slower stepping responses may create opportunities for early interventions.
The findings reinforce the idea that healthy aging depends on both physical and mental abilities working together. A person’s ability to quickly process information and turn it into movement may reflect overall vitality better than age alone.
The study has limitations because it involved a modest number of participants and cannot prove that slower stepping directly causes a shorter lifespan. Nevertheless, the results provide an intriguing glimpse into how simple measures of brain-body performance may help identify older adults who could benefit from preventive care and targeted mobility programs.
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Source: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
