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One of the biggest mysteries in many people’s lives is how long their lives will be. Many people are eager to stay fit, eat healthy, and practice positive thinking, all of which have a major impact on living into old age. Statistics show that Americans are generally living longer, but nobody has a crystal ball. What we do is a 10-second balance test that could predict how long you will live. Stand on one leg and get ready because this is quite an interesting exercise!
Read on to learn more about this test, which can tell you how long you will live. And next, check out the 6 best exercises for strong and toned arms in 2022, says trainer.
If you’re curious about how long you’ll live, listen up. Current research results published in British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that middle-aged and older adults who are unable to stand on one leg for 10 seconds are about twice as likely to die within 10 years as those who can successfully complete this balance test.
Balancing on one leg is usually a fairly easy task for most healthy people. From the age of 60, however, it becomes more demanding – and quite quickly. The ability to balance yourself as you age is not a choice or acquired skill, unlike training to keep up with flexibility, strength, and cardio fitness. Surprisingly, there is no routine balance assessment for the elderly at annual checkups.
This prompted a study of 1,700 participants between the ages of 51 and 75 selected from the 1994 CLINIMEX Exercise cohort study. This previous study observed death and chronic disease as they correlated with common cardiovascular risk factors, exercise, and physical fitness. The aim of this recent study was to determine whether an equilibrium assessment could be a useful tool in assessing a person’s risk of mortality over the next 10 years of life.
Each participant selected for observation walked steadily, was examined, weighed, and measured for waist circumference and skinfold thickness. Participants should stand on one leg for 10 seconds without additional support. They also placed the front of their non-standing foot on the back of the standing leg while simultaneously facing straight ahead and keeping both arms at their sides. Each observed participant was allowed up to three attempts on each foot.
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Of the observed participants, 348 participants (1 out of 5) failed the test. Failure increased with age, doubling almost exactly for every five-year interval beginning at ages 51 to 55 and older.
These are the percentages of each age group that failed the 10-second test: 51-55 year olds about 5%; 55 to 60 years, about 8%; 61 to 65 years just under 18%; 66 to 70 years just under 37%; and among those aged 71 to 75, about 54% were unable to complete the test. This oldest age group (71 to 75) was about 11 times more likely to be unsuccessful than the youngest group (51 to 55).
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The seven years after the test shows that 7% (123) of the participants have died. The causes of death and outbreak causes were revealed: cancer (32%), cardiovascular disease (30%), respiratory disease (9%) and complications due to COVID-19 (7%). The study notes that the participants who flunked generally had poorer health and struggled with conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
The researchers note that this study was observational. They also point out that the participants were white Brazilians and “may not be further applicable to other ethnicities and nations”. In conclusion, they say that this balance test “provides rapid and objective feedback for the patient and healthcare professionals regarding static balance,” adding that the test “adds useful information about mortality risk in middle-aged and older men and women.” .
For more mind-body news, be sure to check out the breast lift exercises you can’t live without in your 50s, says trainer, and these foolproof exercises will shrink your visceral fat fast, says trainer, to keep up with the latest fitness scoop.
Alexa Melardo
Alexa is Associate Editor of the Mind + Body of Eat This, Not That! Continue reading
