Dance for independence

It may be time to swap the gym for the dance floor.

After following 1000 elderly Japanese women for eight years, researchers found those who danced were 73 per cent more likely than those who didn’t dance to continue carrying out normal daily activities, such as walking, dressing, washing and eating, without needing help. No other exercise showed this effect. This may be because dancing improves balance, strength, endurance and concentration, the researchers say.