Handshake may signal a longer life

A FIRM handshake, a brisk walk or a speedy exit from a chair could all be signs of a longer life expectancy.

A study in the British Medical Journal found measures of physical ability such as grip strength, walking speed, the time taken to rise from being seated and balancing on one leg could help predict the risk of death in older people. The same tests could be used to assess the risks in younger people, but little research had been done to confirm this idea, according to a team at University College London.

Researcher Dr Rachel Cooper said one possible explanation was that people with problems walking and balancing could be more prone to accidents and falls. "Another possibility is that these things are acting as good markers of general disease and health status," she said.