Income, education tied to physical function in old age
“People with lower socioeconomic status may have fewer years of good physical functioning in old age than their more affluent, educated counterparts, a recent study suggests. Researchers examined data on socioeconomic status, chronic medical problems, and walking speed – a proxy for physical functioning – for 109,000 adults ages 45 to 90 from 24 countries in Europe, the U.S., Latin America, Africa and Asia. Socioeconomic status includes income, education and occupation and offers a snapshot of how class shapes opportunities within a given society.”