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Walking speed in middle-age 'may predict dementia risk'
February 16, 2012
New research suggests that walking speed can predict a person's future risk of developing dementia.
People who walk slowly in middle-aged may be more likely to develop dementia in later life, new research suggests.
Scientists at Boston Medical Centre found that people with a slower walking speed were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop dementia than those who walked quickly.
Their study, which followed more than 2,400 middle-aged men and women for up to 11 years, was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
Researcher Dr Erica Camargo revealed that previous studies have suggested a link between lower physical performance in elderly people and an increased risk of dementia, but that experts were unsure of the impact in middle age.
"These are basic office tests which can provide insight into risk of dementia ... and can be easily performed by a neurologist or general practitioner," she pointed out.
Dr Anne Corbett, research manager at the Alzheimer's Society, said the study added to existing evidence linking slower walking speed with a higher risk of dementia in later life.
"But before people take stock in ... the speed you cross the road, more research is needed to understand why and what other factors are involved," she insisted.
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