Me: 30.3 years, about what I planned on.
This calculator can predict when you’ll die
John Murphy, MDLinx | May 03, 2019
Researchers have devised a calculator that
predicts how many healthy years you have left in life. It also predicts
how many unhealthy years you’re likely to live before you die.
How much time do you have left in life? An online calculator can now tell you.
The Healthy Life Expectancy Calculator
assesses your health and lifestyle factors to predict the total future
years you’re expected to live. The calculator also recommends specific
lifestyle changes to help you to increase your number of healthy years.
The overall estimate includes both your healthy life expectancy and your unhealthy life expectancy—which is the severe, unhealthy state of disablement before you die, explained the lead developer of the calculator, Jay Vadiveloo, PhD, CFA, director, Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
“As the saying goes, ‘In the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years,’” Dr. Vadiveloo wrote.
The hope is that people will use the calculator to make better lifestyle choices in order to extend their healthy life expectancy and minimize their unhealthy life expectancy, he indicated.
“Imagine a healthy 60-year-old male who exercises regularly, has a healthy diet and healthy body mass index, and sleeps at least eight hours a night,” Dr. Vadiveloo suggested. “By our estimate, he could have an additional 13 years of healthy living compared to his unhealthy counterpart. That’s 13 more years of quality living with family and loved ones [than a similar less healthy person].”
He added: “This is quite a startling revelation, not only because of the significant difference in healthy life expectancy between these two individuals, but also because this difference is driven by lifestyle choices within the individual’s control.”
“The higher the level of education and income, the higher your healthy life expectancy. Having a positive perception of your state of health helps, too,” Dr. Vadiveloo noted.
Two additional factors, not related to lifestyle, were also included: age and sex.
“All other things being equal, healthy life expectancy decreases with age,” he added. “Women have a longer healthy life expectancy compared to men.”
Dr. Vadiveloo acknowledged that it’s a work in progress, but he also points out that it’s the first such measurement tool to be developed.
How much time do you have left in life? An online calculator can now tell you.The overall estimate includes both your healthy life expectancy and your unhealthy life expectancy—which is the severe, unhealthy state of disablement before you die, explained the lead developer of the calculator, Jay Vadiveloo, PhD, CFA, director, Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
“As the saying goes, ‘In the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years,’” Dr. Vadiveloo wrote.
The hope is that people will use the calculator to make better lifestyle choices in order to extend their healthy life expectancy and minimize their unhealthy life expectancy, he indicated.
Calculator or crystal ball?
Why develop such a calculator?“Imagine a healthy 60-year-old male who exercises regularly, has a healthy diet and healthy body mass index, and sleeps at least eight hours a night,” Dr. Vadiveloo suggested. “By our estimate, he could have an additional 13 years of healthy living compared to his unhealthy counterpart. That’s 13 more years of quality living with family and loved ones [than a similar less healthy person].”
He added: “This is quite a startling revelation, not only because of the significant difference in healthy life expectancy between these two individuals, but also because this difference is driven by lifestyle choices within the individual’s control.”
- See Also: Can this diet save your life?
“The higher the level of education and income, the higher your healthy life expectancy. Having a positive perception of your state of health helps, too,” Dr. Vadiveloo noted.
Two additional factors, not related to lifestyle, were also included: age and sex.
“All other things being equal, healthy life expectancy decreases with age,” he added. “Women have a longer healthy life expectancy compared to men.”
How many years do you have left?
The Healthy Life Expectancy Calculator is currently available free online. Try it yourself to calculate your healthy, unhealthy, and total life expectancy.Dr. Vadiveloo acknowledged that it’s a work in progress, but he also points out that it’s the first such measurement tool to be developed.
No comments:
Post a Comment