Poor Health in Middle Age Can Be A Sign Of Early Death
Middle-aged people who do poorly on simple tests of physical ability may be at increased risk of early death, according to a new study. Another study found that light-intensity physical activity every day may reduce the chance of disability in adults with -- or at risk of developing -- knee arthritis. Both studies were published online April 29 in the journal bmj.com. In the first study, researchers looked at data from more than 5,000 people in Britain who at age 53 underwent tests of their grip strength, how fast they could stand from sitting in a chair and their balance while standing. The participants were followed up to age 66. During that time, 88 died from cancer, 47 from heart disease and 42 from other causes. Those who did worse on the tests of physical ability at age 53 had a higher risk of dying over the following 13 years, according to a journal news release. The researchers also found that people who could not complete any of the physical ability tests at age 53 w...