WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Older adults who walked just a little faster saw big improvements in their physical health, according to a new study published in PLOS One.
The study involved 102 older adults living in 14 retirement communities around Chicago with an average age of 79. They were considered either frail or close to becoming frail.
Researchers divided them into two groups. Both groups walked three times a week for 45 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down exercises. One group walked at a casual pace, while the other group walked at a faster pace.
After four months, the faster group reached about 100 steps per minute, while the casual walkers averaged about 77 steps per minute. Interestingly, those who increased their walking speed by just 14 steps per minute showed better results on a six-minute walk test, indicating an improvement in their physical ability.
'Hopefully, older adults will use this as a practical way to guide their walking intensity so they can live longer and continue to do the things that they want to do,' lead author Dr. Daniel Rubin said.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
