Faster walkers are the last people to get over the hill

WHEN it comes to getting older, most people are on the lookout for grey hairs and wrinkles.

But there could be another sign which indicates you could be over the hill – your walking speed.

People who walk slowly at the age of just 45 are at greater risk of age-related problems, a study shows.

The slowest walkers are ageing biologically five years faster than those with the most brisk pace, and are more likely to suffer issues ranging from high blood pressure to cholesterol.

They also have a smaller brain volume, a weaker grip and even look older in photographs, scientists have discovered.

Researchers led by Duke University in the US studied more than 900 middleaged people, separating out those who walked most slowly and those who were quickest.

Based on the average stride length, there was a difference of 42 strides per minute between the two groups.

Professor Terrie Moffitt, who led the research, said: ‘Doctors know that slow walkers in their seventies and eighties tend to die sooner than fast walkers the same age.

‘But this study covered the period from the pre-school years to midlife, and found that a slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age.’

The fastest walkers in the study of 45year-olds in New Zealand covered 105 metres a minute, while the slowest managed just over 72 metres.

The 19 measures of accelerated ageing were used to create a score for both groups, which showed the least speedy walkers had aged roughly five years faster from the age of 26 to 45.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, also found they had a weaker grip, worse balance standing on one leg and that they could take fewer steps in two minutes.

Compared to the 20% fastest walkers, the 20% slowest had smaller brain volumes in MRI scans, which could put them at risk of memory loss or dementia.