Physical performance is associated with long‐term survival in adults 80years and older: Results from the ilSIRENTE study

According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide population of persons 80 and older is expected to triple by 2050.1 This group, known as “oldest old,” shows substantial heterogeneity in health and functional abilities.2 While life expectancy has increased significantly over the last century due to advancements in public health, nutrition, education, and medicine, a corresponding extension of healthy, disability-free lifespan has not occurred. As a result, many older adults live with chronic illnesses, mobility limitations, and disabilities.3 Impaired mobility in old age is associated with increased health risks and mortality. However, how physical performance affects long-term survival in the oldest old is unclear. The present investigation explored the association between physical performance and up to 15-year survival in a cohort of community-dwelling octogenarians from the “Aging and Longevity in the Sirente geographic area” (ilSIRENTE) study.