It takes only a few seconds to measure how fast a person walks. For that reason, researchers believe walking speed could become a useful tool in healthcare.
The measurement may help identify older adults who should undergo further evaluation for memory or thinking problems, Medical News Today reports.
However, the researchers emphasize that walking slowly is not, by itself, a sign of dementia.
Walking speed should always be assessed alongside a person's overall health.
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The Body Works Together
When we walk, the brain, muscles, vision, balance, and nervous system work closely together.
As a result, a change in walking speed may be an early sign that the body or brain is no longer functioning as well as it once did.
According to the researchers, regular physical activity, strength training, adequate sleep, a healthy diet, and treatment for conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes may help support both physical and brain health.
Lower risk of cognitive decline
The study, published in Neurology, followed people in their 80s and compared their walking speed with the results of memory tests and brain scans.
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The data were drawn from three large research projects.
The study found that people with a naturally faster walking speed had about a 50 percent lower risk of cognitive decline than those who walked more slowly.
The researchers also stress that the study does not prove that walking faster can prevent dementia.
The findings show only an association between walking speed and brain health.
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