Study Weighs Fall Risk, Role of Exercise

The link between regular exercise and prevention of falls varies by age and gender, a new analysis of research suggests. The authors looked at data from a long-term study on exercise. The study included 10,615 people, ages 20 to 87. They also took a treadmill test and a follow-up survey. The survey included questions about exercise habits and falls. About 21% of those surveyed said they had fallen in the last year. Falls were just as common in younger adults as in older ones. However, older adults were twice as likely to fall while walking. Women were more than twice as likely as men to fall while walking. Men who were the fittest or exercised the most were less likely to fall while walking than men who were least fit or exercised the least. For women, this difference was narrower and could have been caused by chance.