How fast you walk may predict how long you live, according to a study from the University of Pittsburg.

Researchers found that elderly people who normally walk faster live longer. And that speed was a more accurate predictor of life expectancy than age or sex and it can help doctors gauge the overall well-being in seniors.

According to the study, people who typically walked 1 meter per second or faster lived longer than expected. (One meter per second is 3.28 feet per second or about 2.25 mph.) The study analyzed the data of more than 34,000 adults who were 65 years of age or older from nine previous studies to find out if walking speed could predict longevity in older adults.

“We’re able to show that a person’s capacity to move strongly reflects vitality and health,” said study researcher Dr. Stephanie Studenski, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Walking requires energy, movement control, and support and places demands on multiple organ systems, including the heart, lungs, circulatory, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems,” the authors wrote. “Slowing gait may reflect both damaged systems and a high energy cost of walking.”

Researchers pointed out the study was not to get people moving faster, but rather analyze the way and how fast people walk to their overall health.

One way to make sure you retain your gait into your old age is to keep walking every day. The Centers for Disease and Prevention recommend 30 minutes of brisk walking (a pace of three miles per hour or 6,000 steps or more) at least five times a week to improve your overall health and fitness, and reduce your risk for many chronic diseases.