Test Your Heart Age

When an ordinary-looking “heart age” questionnaire lets you calculate that your heart is younger than your actual age, you may need to re-examine the lifestyle habits you’ve been ignoring.

Author: Koutian Wu; GitHub: ktwu01

Today I took an interesting test about “heart age.” It assesses the actual health of your heart through 13 questions about lifestyle habits and physical indicators.

The test questions and my answers are below:

Question 1: Do you have high blood pressure? If yes, add 5 years to your heart age. High blood pressure is an important cause of cardiovascular disease, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure by 2 to 4 times. My answer: No

Question 2: Do you smoke long-term? If yes, add 4 years. Research finds that smoking can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 2 to 5 times, and the risk of peripheral vascular disease by 10 to 16 times. My answer: No

Question 3: Do you have a family history of heart disease? If yes, add 1 year. A study of 500,000 people found that those with a family history of acute myocardial infarction have a higher risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic cardiomyopathy, and the more first-degree relatives with a history of cardiovascular disease, the higher the risk of illness. My answer: Yes (+1 year)

Question 4: Are you male? If so, your heart age may be 3 years older than your actual age. This finding comes from 6 million data points collected by a foreign “heart age” website; the analysis attributes it to higher smoking rates and greater psychological stress among men. My answer: Yes (+3 years)

Question 5: Do you like staying up late? If yes, add 4 years. Research finds that sleeping less than 5 hours increases the risk of arterial calcium deposition by more than 50%. This is an early marker of arterial disease and can trigger a range of cardiovascular problems. My answer: No

Question 6: Do you usually eat a lot of salt? If the answer is yes, add 2 more years. A high-salt diet raises blood pressure and increases the risk of vascular hardening. My answer: No

Question 7: Do you really like eating meat? If yes, add 3 years. Eating too much meat over time leads to excessive fat intake and increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. My answer: Yes (+3 years)

Question 8: Are you used to sitting for long periods? Sedentary people add 4 more years to their heart age. A study by a world-famous cardiac society found that for every hour of sitting, the level of sediment in blood vessels rises by 14%, and the risk of cardiovascular disease increases accordingly. My answer: Yes (+4 years)

Question 9: Do you have an obesity problem? If yes, add 4 years. The heart is a direct victim of obesity. The Framingham Heart Study researchers noted that for every 1-point increase in BMI, the risk of heart failure rises by 5% in men and 7% in women. My answer: No

Question 10: Is your resting heart rate less than 75 beats per minute? If yes, subtract 2 years. A faster resting heart rate is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease; for every 20-beat-per-minute increase in resting heart rate, the cardiovascular mortality rate rises by 30 to 50%. My answer: Yes (-2 years)

Question 11: Can you always maintain a calm mindset? If yes, subtract 3 years. Research finds that people under excessive stress with volatile emotions have a 5 times higher probability of coronary artery hardening than average, while a calm emotional state protects the heart. My answer: Yes (-3 years)

Question 12: Do you love eating nuts? If yes, subtract 2 years. Nuts are rich in various active compounds that can regulate blood lipids and lower blood cholesterol levels. My answer: Yes (-2 years)

Question 13: Can you exercise at least 30 minutes a day? If you can do this, subtract 5 more years. Long-term regular exercise helps strengthen the heart, promotes myocardial remodeling, enhances the body’s tolerance to cardiovascular disease, and so protects the heart. My answer: Yes (-5 years)

Final Result:

Years added:

• Family history of heart disease: +1 year
• Being male: +3 years
• Liking meat: +3 years
• Sedentary lifestyle: +4 years Total added: 11 years

Years subtracted:

• Resting heart rate under 75: -2 years
• Calm mindset: -3 years
• Liking nuts: -2 years
• Exercising 30 minutes daily: -5 years Total subtracted: 12 years

Final heart age calculation: Actual age + 11 - 12 = Actual age - 1 year

Conclusion: My heart age is 1 year younger than my actual age, meaning my heart condition is generally good! 🎉

Still, I could optimize some lifestyle habits, such as sitting less, and adding more fish and vegetables rich in healthy fats, to further strengthen cardiovascular health! 💪😊