The Study
Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality
This study found that people who had a harder time sitting down and standing up from the floor were more likely to die within a few years. But it doesn't prove that being better at the test makes you live longer — it just shows the two things are connected.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists watched older adults do a simple floor test—sitting down and standing up without using hands or knees—and saw who lived longer.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 559 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this test shows that being strong and flexible enough to sit and stand from the floor without help is a strong sign of better health and longer life.
- 2People who scored 0–3 on the test were over 5 times more likely to die in 6 years than those who scored 8–10.
- 3Every extra point on the test meant a 21% lower chance of dying.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
Year
2014
Authors
L. B. D. de Brito, D. Ricardo, Denise Sardinha Mendes Soares de Araújo, P. Ramos, J. Myers, CLAUDIO GIL ARAUJO
Related Content
Claims (6)
Adults aged 51 to 80 who score 0 to 3 on the sitting-rising test are 5.44 times more likely to die from any cause over 6.3 years than those who score 8 to 10, even when accounting for age, sex, and body mass index.
In adults aged 51 to 80, a higher score on the sitting-rising test is linked to a 21% lower risk of death from any cause over about six years, with each additional point on the test corresponding to a consistent decrease in mortality risk.
The sitting-rising test measures musculoskeletal fitness and predicts mortality risk in adults aged 51 to 80 who are not hospitalized, and it can be used in routine health checkups.
Adults aged 51–80 with lower scores on the sitting-rising test have a higher risk of dying from any cause over about six years, and each additional point on the test is linked to a 21% lower risk of death.
In middle-aged and older adults, a lower score on the sitting-rising test is associated with a higher risk of death from any cause, even after accounting for age, sex, and body mass index.
People who score lower on the sitting-rising test have higher rates of death from any cause and from cardiovascular disease.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.