A study published in JAMA (2011) found that gait speed is significantly associated with survival in older adults. The research pooled data from nine cohort studies involving 34,485 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, with follow-up periods ranging from 6 to 21 years. The study found that slower gait speeds were linked to higher mortality rates, with a hazard ratio of 0.88 per 0.1 m/s decrease in gait speed. Survival rates varied widely, with predicted 10-year survival ranging from 19% to 87% in men and 35% to 91% in women at age 75. Gait speed was as effective as other factors like age, sex, and chronic conditions in predicting survival. The study also showed that gait speed could help refine survival estimates in clinical practice. The results suggest that gait speed is a simple and informative indicator of health and survival in older adults, and could be used to tailor goals of care and treatment plans. The study had limitations, including potential healthy volunteer bias and the inability to assess the association of physical activity with survival. The findings highlight the importance of considering gait speed in assessing health and survival in older adults.A study published in JAMA (2011) found that gait speed is significantly associated with survival in older adults. The research pooled data from nine cohort studies involving 34,485 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, with follow-up periods ranging from 6 to 21 years. The study found that slower gait speeds were linked to higher mortality rates, with a hazard ratio of 0.88 per 0.1 m/s decrease in gait speed. Survival rates varied widely, with predicted 10-year survival ranging from 19% to 87% in men and 35% to 91% in women at age 75. Gait speed was as effective as other factors like age, sex, and chronic conditions in predicting survival. The study also showed that gait speed could help refine survival estimates in clinical practice. The results suggest that gait speed is a simple and informative indicator of health and survival in older adults, and could be used to tailor goals of care and treatment plans. The study had limitations, including potential healthy volunteer bias and the inability to assess the association of physical activity with survival. The findings highlight the importance of considering gait speed in assessing health and survival in older adults.