Treadmill Performance Predicts Mortality

An anonymous reader writes: Cardiologists from Johns Hopkins have published an analysis of exercise data that strongly links a patient's performance on a treadmill to their risk of dying. Using data from stress tests of over 58,000 people, they report: "[A]mong people of the same age and gender, fitness level as measured by METs and peak heart rate reached during exercise were the greatest indicators of death risk. Fitness level was the single most powerful predictor of death and survival, even after researchers accounted for other important variables such as diabetes and family history of premature death — a finding that underscores the profound importance of heart and lung fitness, the investigators say." The scoring system is from -200 to +200. People scoring between -100 and 0 face an 11% risk of dying in the next decade. People scoring between -200 and -100 face a 38% risk of death within the next decade. People scoring above zero face only a 3% chance or less.

Comments

Re:So let's give a number scail so we can't self t

[itzly]

Just click on the link:

The FIT Treadmill Score, calculated as [percentage of maximum predicted heart rate + 12(metabolic equivalents of task) – 4(age) + 43 if female]

prevention is better than a cure

[petes_PoV]

strongly links a patient's performance on a treadmill to their risk of dying.

Sounds like the best way to prolong your life is to avoid treadmills

Re:mandatory treadmill tests

[Roodvlees]

Communism only relates to the way you organize your economy.
The point of this research is probably to allow doctors to make better estimates as to when a patient might die.
Capitalism can be just as bad as communism if you don't regulate the economy. You need some of both.

Re:So let's give a number scail so we can't self t

[ideonexus]

Peer-reviews on everything I write below are greatly appreciated. I want to make sure I understand this equation.

io9 has a pretty down-to-earth explanation of the equation:

FIT Treadmill Score = %MPHR + 12(METS) - 4(age) + 43(if female)

You can get your MPHR for your age here. I found a chart of METS here for various exercises.

So, if I'm understanding this correctly. If I reach a 160 heart rate out of 179.0 MPHR predicted for my 41 years of age while running 12 minute miles worth 8.5 METS. My score would be:

83.7 + 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 21.7

The same heart rate for my age running 8 minute miles:

83.7 + 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 69.7

If I am understanding this correctly, it really looks like you could easily improve your score with a few lifestyle choices (push yourself harder when you work out, eat healthier). This equation could be a great metric for people concerned about their health

Re:+43 if female

[mrchaotica]

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders: "never get involved in a flame war on Slashdot."

Re:+43 if female

[onkelonkel]

Inconceivable!