A person’s usual walking speed may provide a simple but revealing indication of overall health and longevity, according to new research involving thousands of older adults in the United Kingdom. The findings suggest that pace could reflect how effectively several major body systems work together.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed 4,067 adults in the U.K. Participants were about 69 years old on average when researchers assessed whether their typical walking pace was associated with their risk of death over time.

Each participant completed a brief walking test while moving at a normal pace. Participants also wore a wrist activity tracker for nine days, allowing researchers to capture their walking speed during everyday life rather than relying only on a controlled test.

Over nearly 12 years of follow up, faster walking speeds in both settings were associated with a lower risk of death. The connection remained after researchers accounted for other health and lifestyle factors, and 739 participants died during the study period.

The results add to the idea that walking pace can provide a broader view of physical functioning. Beth Templin, a board certified geriatric clinical specialist and CEO of HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness in St. Louis, was not involved in the study but explained why pace can be informative.

“In physical therapy, we call walking speed the 'sixth vital sign' because it's a snapshot of how well many body systems are working together,” Templin told Fox News Digital. Walking requires the coordinated work of muscles, balance, cardiovascular function and the nervous system.

“To walk briskly, you need strong legs, a healthy heart and lungs, good balance, and a brain and nervous system that can coordinate it all,” Templin said. That combination means changes in pace may offer clues about a person’s broader physical condition.

“When walking speed starts to slip, it's often an early warning sign that one of those systems is declining, sometimes before anything shows up on a lab test,” she added. The observation positions walking pace as more than a simple measure of how quickly someone moves.

For older adults interested in improving walking speed and overall fitness, merely adding steps may not be sufficient, according to Templin. She said that speed depends on developing strength and balance in addition to establishing a regular walking routine.

“Build the engine, not just the habit,” Templin advised. “Most people try to walk more, but speed comes from strength and balance.”

Templin suggested simple exercises that target the legs and can be performed with limited equipment. Examples included standing up from a chair without using the hands and performing heel raises while holding onto a counter for support.

Dr. Courtney Conley and Dr. Milica McDowell, authors of “Walk,” have also emphasized the physical and mental health benefits of walking. In a discussion with Steve Doocy, they described walking as an accessible activity and highlighted what they call “Vitamin W.”

Conley and McDowell discussed increasing daily movement from the current average of 5,000 steps and working toward a brisk pace of 130 steps per minute. They also highlighted short bursts of activity described as “movement snacks” as part of overall wellness.

The study does not establish that deliberately walking faster will cause someone to live longer. “This study shows an association, not proof that walking faster by itself adds years,” Templin reiterated.

Researchers also identified limitations that could affect how broadly the results apply. The study participants were generally healthier than the larger group, and there is no single standard method for using wrist activity trackers to measure walking pace in everyday life.

More research is needed to determine whether the findings apply to other groups. Fox News Digital contacted the researchers for comment, while the current results leave walking speed as a potentially useful clue rather than proof of a longer life.