Sharper Balance and Mobility Predict Longer Life in Seniors

A large Taiwanese study of 13,423 adults around age 73 found that stronger performance across seven simple fitness tests—especially balance and agility (one-leg stand and an 8-foot up-and-go)—was linked to markedly lower all-cause mortality over seven years; the strongest association came when combining all tests into a single fitness index, with the top fifth showing about 61% lower death risk than the bottom fifth, even after adjusting for health conditions, income, body weight, and self-reported activity.