Brazilian Study Validates Sitting‑Rising Test as Simple Longevity Predictor

Researchers led by Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, analyzed more than 2,000 adults aged 51‑80 to examine the relationship between musculoskeletal fitness and mortality. The participants performed the Sitting‑Rising Test (SRT), which scores the ability to sit down and rise from the floor without using hands, forearms, knees or feet. The test yields a maximum of 10 points, with deductions for using support or losing balance.

Long‑term follow‑up showed that each point lost on the SRT corresponded to a markedly higher risk of death; individuals with low scores faced a five‑ to six‑fold increase in mortality compared with those scoring near the maximum. The association held regardless of age or body weight, suggesting the SRT can serve as an inexpensive, quick indicator of overall health and longevity risk.