Overview
- Researchers at the University of Leicester analyzed data from 407,569 UK Biobank participants and found that self-reported walking pace was the strongest single predictor of death.
- In participants with existing health conditions, replacing blood pressure and cholesterol with walking pace improved the model’s accuracy and moved more people into the right risk category.
- Using all five simple measures together improved prediction further in these groups.
- The five measures were walking pace, handgrip strength, resting heart rate, sleep duration, and leisure-time physical activity, which are quick to collect in clinics and surveys.
- The peer-reviewed study appears in Mayo Clinic Proceedings and was supported by NIHR Leicester BRC, the MRC iCASE program, and RGA, with insurers highlighting potential use for risk assessment.