What the speed at which you walk says about your risk for coronavirus

Can the speed at which you walk say anything about your risk for coronavirus? It seems a bit of a forced relationship, but no. It’s been a long time since walking speed it is used as a marker of physiological and neurological health. And now, a new study has delved into this association, but linked to the chances of suffering from a more serious image of Covid-19.

Researchers at the Leicester Center for Biomedical Research found that those who walk slower have almost four times more likely to die from covid and more than twice as much suffering from severe infection.

For the study, data from 412596 participants middle-aged UK Biobank. The authors of works published in International Obesity Journal examined the relative association of body mass index (BMI) and self-reported walking pace with the risk of severe covidic disease or death.

BMI is calculated based on the height and weight of each individual, since the ideal coefficient will be different depending on the height of each. Is considered normal weight between 18.5-24.9 kg / m2, Overweight 25-29.9 kg / m2 and obesity an index greater than 30 kg / m2. A weight of less than 18.5 kg / m2 is considered low weight, but these cases were dropped from the study because they presented in insufficient numbers.

During this time, the self-reported usual walking pace was divided into slow (constant average (4.8 to 6.4 km / hm) or energetic (> 6.4 km / h).

The analysis found that slower normal weight walkers are almost 2.5 times more likely to develop severe Covid-19 and 3.75 times more likely to die from the virus than fast walkers, also of normal weight.

“We already know that obesity and frailty are key risk factors for Covid-19 outcomes. This is the first study to show that slow walkers are at much higher risk of serious consequences, whatever your weight“said Professor Tom Yates, principal investigator of the study and professor of physical activity, sedentary behavior and health at the University of Leicester.

Research conducted at Duke University and published in 2019 concluded that 45-year-olds who walk slower are less healthy. The lungs, teeth, and immune system are some of the parts of the body where the difference between those who walk faster and slower is greatest.

“As the pandemic continues to put unprecedented pressure on health services and communities, it is crucial identify those most at risk and take preventive measures to protect them. “

Another key finding from the work was that slow walkers of normal weight have a higher risk of severe covid mortality than faster walkers with obesity. The risk was high in slow walkers in general, with no difference in weight.

“Fast walkers have generally been shown to have good cardiovascular health, which makes them more resistant to external stressors, including viral infections, although this hypothesis has not yet been established for infectious diseases,” said he noted. Yachts

“While large database studies have reported the association of obesity and frailty with Covid-19 results, they currently have no data on measures of physical function or condition. physical, ”he added.

“In my opinion, ongoing public health and research surveillance studies should consider incorporating simple measures of fitness, such as self-reported walking pace, in addition to BMI, such as possible risk predictors covid results that could ultimately lead to better prevention methods that save lives, ”he concluded.