Two simple strength tests predict longevity in older women | CNN

A surprisingly simple measure may offer clues about longevity. Muscular strength, as determined by two tests, was a key predictor of a person’s risk of death, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers followed more than 5,000 women between the ages of 63 and 99 and found that those participants with greater strength had a significantly lower risk of death over the next eight years. The findings raise questions about how strength influences healthy aging and what people can do to maintain strength. To better understand the study’s implications, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. Wen previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner. CNN: What were this study’s main findings? Dr. Leana Wen: Researchers analyzed data from women who were enrolled in a large, long-running study of aging. At the start, investigators assessed muscular strength in two ways: by measuring handgrip strength and by timing how quickly participants could stand up from a seated position without using their arms. The researchers then followed these women for about eight years