Want to live longer? Get a grip!

[jason]

LONDON (Reuters) – A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy, according to British researchers.
Scientists at the Medical Research Council found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a brisk pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to life span, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. The study is the first to provide a comprehensive view of the existing research by pooling data from 33 studies.
"These measures have been used in population-based research for quite a long time," said Rachel Cooper of the Medical Research Council's Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging. "They may be useful indicators for subsequent health."
Cooper, whose study appears in the British Medical Journal (http://link.reuters.com/wat72p), said more studies are needed to clarify whether the measures would be helpful to doctors as a screening tool. "I wouldn't suggest that we roll them out into clinical practice tomorrow, but it is possible that they could be used in the future," she told Reuters Health.


more Want to live longer? Get a grip! - Yahoo! News

 

[StoneH]

That's an interesting discovery, but that makes sense. My uncle always does shaking hands firmly and walks fast, and he is still very healthy in his 75.

 

[Eoin]

That does make some sense. If you have the physical strength to do most of those things you will be in fairly good health. Also the fact that a lot of older people won't give up is another indicator of whether they won't give up to a disease or not. If you keep going, it keeps you young.

 

[McCloud]

I grew up with people telling me that you can tell a lot about a man by his handshake. Little did I know this one was of those things.