New study says age is just a number

Some say age is "just a number," and now a new study shows this could be true.

Researchers say how well you exercise may be a better predictor of how long you'll live.

A study from the Cleveland Clinic found that someone's performance on a treadmill stress test is a better predictor than calendar age alone.

A good performance shows that your heart may be younger than your birth certificate says, and you could live longer than expected.

The study leader hopes people truly understand the importance of exercise.

"The key take-home message for patients is to exercise more, improve exercise performance, and for health care providers to use this physiological age as a way to motivate their patients to improve their exercise performance," said Dr. Serge Harb.

Another study found that the number of pushups you can do is a good predictor of your risk of heart disease.

Middle-aged men who could do 40 or more had a risk 96-percent lower than men who could do less than 10 pushups.

----------

Send a News Tip to Action News

Learn More About 6abc Apps