Health professionals recently revealed a simple yet shocking “one leg death test” that measures how long an individual will live.
Standing on one leg might sound a bit silly, but researchers have concrete data suggesting that people who can’t balance for 10 seconds are almost twice as likely to die in the next decade compared to those who rock the “flamingo challenge.”
And, even more startling, the inability to balance for the same period of time points to an 84% greater chance of death in the next seven years.
Keep reading to learn how imitating a flamingo can help measure your lifespan!
Flamingos are fascinating birds that effortlessly taunt people with their impeccable ability to balance for long periods of time on one leg.
The brilliant pink birds are known to stand on one leg to conserve body heat, increasing its chances of survival. And now, health professionals are suggesting that having a human “make like a flamingo” will help determine one’s length of survival.
Offering scientific evidence to these claims, an international group of experts from the UK, US, Australia, Finland, and Brazil completed a first-of-its-kind, 12-year study that examines connection between balance and mortality.
The research, published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, reveals that failure to balance on one leg for 10 seconds in mid to later life is linked to an “84% higher risk of all-cause mortality” over seven years, and a near doubling in the risk of death from any cause within the next 10 years. The study also shows that participants who failed the test were more likely to be overweight and three times as likely to have diabetes.
The findings are so startling that the researchers are urging doctors to include the one leg tests in routine checkups for elderly people.
But the one leg death test is not as morbid as it sounds. In fact, it’s just a simple balance test that gauges an individual’s longevity and health risks, says Selina Lim, Divisional Director of the National Health Service (NHS) East Suffolk.
“We know that people who struggle to balance for the expected amount of time are at a higher risk of developing ill-health as they age,” says Lim. “By taking part in the ‘flamingo challenge’ people can quickly and easily assess for themselves whether they are at risk.”
Before heading to your doctors for the one leg test, the NHS challenges people to “make like a flamingo” at home.
First, here are the rules of the challenge:
- Keep your eyes open and your hands on your hips
- Stand on one leg without any other support
- Time starts when your foot leaves the ground and stops when you put your foot back down (or take your hands off your hips)
Optimal standing times for age groups:
- 18 and 39 years: 43 seconds
- 40 and 49: 40 seconds
- 50 to 59: an average of 37 seconds
- 60 to 69: 30 seconds
- 70 to 79: 18 to 19 seconds
- 80 years +: a little over five seconds
Try hold the stand for your age category, but the NHS warns that “even if you’re feeling confident, don’t try to maintain the pose for any longer than one minute.”
If you’re dropping to the ground before meeting your recommended time, don’t worry, Lim says “there are lots of different activities” you can engage in to “help improve” your “overall fitness.”
Debbie Dyer of the NHS adds, “Moving our bodies more day-to-day brings immediate benefit, too. Exercise is brilliant for mental health and is a great way of meeting new people in your community.” Dyer, a clinical lead for aging well, continues, “The fitter and healthier you are, the better your mental wellbeing, and the longer you will retain your agility, strength, and balance into later life.”
Unlike aerobic fitness and muscle strength and flexibility, balance is reasonably preserved until about 60 years, when there’s a rapid decline.
The One-Leg Death Test might have a grim name, but it’s a handy (and quick) tool to assess your balance and possibly get insights into your health.
