3 ms·
Of course, the gait speed itself takes as inputs many of the rest of those factors. Smoking history, body mass index, and chronic joint or muscular conditions
by T-hawk 13y ago
Of course, the gait speed itself takes as inputs many of the rest of those factors. Smoking history, body mass index, and chronic joint or muscular conditions all pretty directly affect one's ability to walk fast. So gait speed turns out to be a very convenient, easily measured proxy for those other variables.
- k2enemy 13y agoRight. I think the way to think of it is that in the context of survival, gait speed is a convenient and easily measured sufficient statistic for all this other stuff.
- herdrick 13y agoIt's probably causal as well. Faster gait means walking is more convenient, so the subject does it more, so the subject gets more exercise.