Older adults could enhance the quality of their lives and delay their risk of developing major disabilities by simply going for a 20-minute walk every day, a new study suggests.

Mobility is the ability to walk unaided. Reduced mobility becomes more common as we age and is a risk factor for illness, disability, hospitalisation and in some cases, death.

US researchers followed the progress of over 1,600 men and women aged between 70 and 89. All were leading sedentary lifestyles at the beginning of the study, putting them at an increased risk for mobility-related disability.

The participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group took part in a moderate-intensity physical activity programme, while the second group took part in a health education programme that focused on topics related to ageing.

The participants were followed up for over two years and were assessed again at the end of this period.

The researchers found that the risk of major mobility-related disability fell by around 18% among those who took part in the exercise programme. They were more capable of walking unaided for about a quarter of a mile than those in the other group.

Overall, undertaking just a 20-minute walk every day had a beneficial effect.

"We want to change how people live. Maintaining independence for older adults is both a public health and a clinical priority, and modifying lifestyle is an important approach to maintaining independence," the researchers from the Yale School of Medicine said.

They insisted that years from now, this will be considered ‘a landmark study - one that has informed policies to keep older persons independent in the community'.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.