Online test reveals your likelihood of having a heart attack
Public Health England have urged people to take an online test to find out their 'heart age'.
A online test from Public Health England reveals your heart age and whether you’re at risk for a heart attack or stroke.
Developed by medical experts, the free test is part of a campaign to reduce to number of people who die from a heart attack or a stroke.
The test asks 16 easy-to-answer questions on lifestyle and medical history, including whether you smoke and if you have cardiovascular disease.
One you’ve entered your information, the quiz tells you your ‘heart age’, which can be increased by high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and what age someone like you can expect to live to.
While the quiz doesn’t provide a diagnosis, it does give an indication of your heart health and what small changes can do to cut your risk of problems down the line.
Public Health England has said that of the nearly 2 million people who have taken the test, 78% had a heart age higher than their actual age.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
Worryingly, over a third (34 per cent) had a heart age more than five years above their real age and 14% found it was 10 years higher.
In the UK, around 84,100 people die from a heart attack or stroke annually.
Public Health England predict about 80 per cent of heart attacks and strokes in people under 75 could be prevented.
NHS gives the following tips for a healthy heart:
- Give up smoking
- Read the food label
- Get active
- Follow advice on how to lose weight
- Eat more fibre
- Cut down on saturated fat
- Get your 5-a-day
- Cut down on salt
- Eat fish
- Stop drinking alcohol - or at least, cut down
Professor Jamie Waterall, national lead for cardiovascular disease at PHE, said: ‘Millions are at risk of cardiovascular disease but don’t know it, putting themselves at real risk of suffering ill-health or dying younger.
‘Knowing your heart age is a simple way of finding out whether you’re at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
‘By making important lifestyle changes you can reduce your risk before it’s too late.’
Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for mums. Established in 2007, our 15-year-strong archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles, 1,500 how-to videos, and 7,000 recipes.
-
Top 20 rare baby names for 2024 revealed, with some celestial and regal entries
Parents looking for rare baby names need look no further - these 20 monikers fit the bill for being unique while remaining suitably understated.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Prince George is ‘a chip off the old block’ says body language expert as she highlights the similarities between him and his dad Prince William
The father/son duo share an incredibly close bond
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published