Ben-Gurion Study Links 0.1-Second Slower Step Time to 28% Higher Mortality Risk
Updated
Updated · Ynetnews · Jun 22
Ben-Gurion Study Links 0.1-Second Slower Step Time to 28% Higher Mortality Risk
1 articles · Updated · Ynetnews · Jun 22
Summary
A 15-year follow-up of 120 older adults found that each 0.1-second slowdown in voluntary step reaction time under distraction was tied to a roughly 28% higher mortality risk.
The strongest signal came in dual-task testing, where participants stepped on cue while performing a Stroop task, suggesting cognitive-motor processing—not simple movement speed alone—best captured vulnerability.
Researchers revisited balance, posture and gait data collected from 2005 to 2011 and found about half the participants had died by the later review of survival records.
Prof. Yitzhak Melzer said the simple step test could help clinicians spot functional decline and fall risk earlier, though the study shows association rather than proof that training faster responses extends life.
The findings build on prior evidence that walking speed predicts survival and may support broader clinical use of functional measures alongside age, disease history and lab tests.
A 0.1-second delay in your step could signal a higher death risk. Why?
As wearables track our moves, could they soon predict Alzheimer's or Parkinson's?
With Western fall-risk tests failing globally, how do we create culturally-smart solutions?
Step Speed Under Cognitive Load: The New Clinical Biomarker for Aging and Mortality Risk
Overview
A groundbreaking study published in June 2026 by Ben-Gurion University researchers revealed that the speed at which older adults initiate a voluntary step while performing a cognitive task—known as dual-task step speed—is a powerful predictor of long-term survival. The study found that slower reaction times in this test are strongly linked to higher mortality risk, with each 0.1-second delay increasing the risk by about 28%. This simple, low-cost assessment offers healthcare professionals a valuable tool to identify individuals at greater risk of functional decline, enabling earlier interventions to improve health and extend longevity.