Failing sense of smell strong predictor of death, study tells

WASHINGTON: A declining sense of smell in older people is a strong predictor of death within just five years, according to new research.

Thirty-nine percent of study subjects who failed a simple smelling test died during that period, compared to 19 percent of those with moderate smell loss and just 10 percent of those with a healthy sense of smell, the journal PLOS ONE reported on Wednesday.