A new study suggests that slow walkers may age quicker than fast walkers - and you're born one or the other

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• Walking speed isn't actually a preference - a Duke University study found that you're pretty much born a slow or fast walker.
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• Your walking speed as a 45-year-old can show the state of your physical and cognitive aging.
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• According to the study, spanning 40 years, slow walkers had "older" brains, and were more likely to have "accelerated physical aging."
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Some people walk slow, and some people zip along. But if you think that's just a matter of personal preference, think again. A new study spanning 40 years from Duke University and published in Jama Network found that, as it turns out, you're pretty much born a fast or slow walker. Evidence is present in neurocognitive testing at three years old as to who will become a slow walker. In addition, the walking speed of 45-year-olds can be used as an indication of the state of their cognitive and physical aging - and it doesn't look good for the slower walkers.

The findings, which come from a longitudinal study of just over 900 New Zealanders, indicate that people age 45 who walk slowly are more likely to show accelerated physical aging and decreased cognitive function. In particular, their lungs, teeth, and immune system were in poorer shape than fast walkers.