Researchers at the National Institute for Health Research looked at data on U.K. adults and found those who were underweight and had a slow walking pace had the lowest life expectancy. Overall, the science revealed an association between fast walking pace and longer life expectancy, regardless of a person's body weight or obesity status. Lead study author Tom Yates adds, "[...] the findings suggest that perhaps physical fitness is a better indicator of life expectancy than body mass index, and that encouraging the population to engage in brisk walking may add years to their lives."