Middle-aged people who walk slowly and have a poor grip could be at greater risk of dementia or stroke in later life, researchers have warned.
Simple tests of physical ability may give clues as to who is most likely to go on to develop disorders such as Alzheimer’s and, to a lesser extent, suffer a stroke, they say.
Their study involved monitoring more than 2,400 participants with an average age of 62 over 11 years, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.
Those with a slower walking speed were found to be one and a half times more likely to develop dementia over the age of 65 compared with those who were more speedy.
People with a stronger grip had a 42 percent lower risk of stroke or a mini-stroke known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) over the age of 65, although the risk was not cut at younger ages.
Lead researcher Dr Erica Camargo said this level of testing could be routinely carried out by primary care physicians and GPs. “These are basic office tests which can provide insight into risk of dementia and stroke and can be easily performed by a neurologist or general practitioner,” she added.
Participants in the U.S. study were tested for walking speed, hand grip strength and cognitive function, and had brain scans.
During the follow-up period, 34 people developed dementia and 70 people had a stroke.