November 4, 2026 | Howard Health & Wellness
Could something as simple as how fast you walk tell us something important about how well you’re aging?
New research suggests that it can.
In my practice, I spend a great deal of time helping patients understand their cardiovascular risk, metabolic health, body composition, and the factors that influence how well they will age. However, some of the most valuable information doesn’t necessarily come from sophisticated laboratory testing.
Sometimes, it comes from simply watching someone walk across a room.
Walking Speed: A Window Into Your Health
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open followed more than 4,000 adults, averaging 69 years of age, for nearly 12 years.
Researchers found that individuals who walked faster had a significantly lower risk of death during follow-up. Furthermore, walking speed remained associated with mortality even after accounting for several other health factors.
Does Walking Faster Mean You’ll Live Longer?
Not necessarily.
This was an observational study, so it cannot establish cause and effect. In other words, simply walking faster doesn’t automatically mean you’ll live longer.
However, walking speed reflects something important: the combined function of your muscles, nervous system, balance, cardiovascular system, and overall physical conditioning.
It’s a practical window into your functional health.
As a result, something as simple as measuring walking speed may provide valuable information about how well someone is aging.
Muscle Mass Matters, but Strength and Function Matter Too
Another recent study involving more than 7,000 older adults found that declining calf circumference was associated with an increased risk of falls.
Although calf circumference is not a precise measurement of muscle mass, this finding reinforces something I emphasize regularly with my patients.
Maintaining muscle is essential, but maintaining the ability to use that muscle is equally important.
Why Muscle Function Becomes More Important With Age
As we age, losing muscle and strength can affect our balance, mobility, metabolism, and independence.
Furthermore, these changes may occur gradually, sometimes before someone notices a significant decline in their physical abilities.
That’s why I believe evaluating muscle mass, strength, balance, and physical performance should be part of a comprehensive approach to healthy aging.
For example, a person can have a normal body weight and still have inadequate muscle mass or declining physical function.
The scale alone simply doesn’t tell us enough.
What Can You Do to Maintain Your Physical Function?
Fortunately, physical function is something we can work to preserve and improve.
In fact, relatively simple habits, practiced consistently, can make a meaningful difference over time.
I encourage my patients to focus on three important areas:
1. Build and Maintain Muscle
Incorporate progressive resistance training into your weekly routine, using exercises appropriate for your abilities.
In addition, adequate protein intake helps support muscle maintenance and recovery, particularly as we get older.
2. Keep Moving
Walking, aerobic exercise, and activities that challenge your balance and coordination all contribute to maintaining physical capacity.
Equally important, regular movement helps preserve the ability to perform everyday activities independently.
3. Measure Your Progress
Body composition, strength, walking speed, and balance can provide useful information about whether your efforts are working.
Rather than relying exclusively on body weight, I encourage patients to look at how their bodies are actually functioning.
After all, improving physical performance is just as important as improving a number on a laboratory report.
My Perspective: Healthspan Is About More Than Living Longer
Ultimately, the goal isn’t simply to add years to your life.
It’s to preserve your ability to travel, play golf, enjoy your family, exercise, remain independent, and continue doing the things that make your life meaningful.
That’s the distinction between lifespan and healthspan.
In my book, Live Beyond Well, I emphasize that healthy aging doesn’t happen by accident. Instead, it requires deliberate choices, consistent habits, and an understanding of what matters most to your health.
Of course, you cannot control every aspect of aging. But you can influence how you age.
And sometimes, the most important measurements are not the most complicated ones.
Healthy Habits. Better Life™
About the Author
Corey Howard, MD, FACP, FAAFRM, is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Anti-Aging, Functional and Regenerative Medicine. With more than 30 years of clinical experience, he focuses on preventive and healthspan medicine through Howard Health & Wellness in Naples, Florida. He is the author of Live Beyond Well.
Research referenced:
- JAMA Network Open, October 23, 2026. Study of walking speed, daily cadence, and long-term mortality in 4,067 adults.
- JAMA Network Open, October 23, 2026. Longitudinal study of calf circumference changes and fall risk in 7,068 older adults.
