What This Means
This research examined whether older adults of different racial and ethnic backgrounds walk different distances in a standardized 6-minute walk test, and whether any differences could be explained by factors like income, education, health behaviors, and medical conditions. The study used data from nearly 1,900 older adults (average age 73) who participated in a long-running heart health study and included African American, Chinese, Hispanic, and White participants. Before accounting for any other factors, non-White participants walked 33 to 56 fewer meters than White participants on average during the 6-minute test.
After the researchers accounted for socioeconomic factors (like income and education), health insurance status, health behaviors, existing medical conditions, and measures of heart and lung function, the differences largely disappeared or shrank considerably. For Chinese and Hispanic participants, the differences were no longer statistically significant. For African American participants, a small difference of about 13 meters remained compared to White participants, but this is below what is typically considered a clinically meaningful difference in walking ability.
This research suggests that racial and ethnic differences in physical functional capacity among older adults are largely—though not entirely—explained by differences in social and economic conditions, health behaviors, and underlying health status rather than race or ethnicity itself. The findings point to the importance of addressing socioeconomic inequalities and access to healthcare as potential pathways to reducing disparities in physical functioning among older Americans.