Are you younger than you think? (in Off-topic)

BBC TV has a "take the test" programme running at the moment. The idea is to find out if you are "older" than your actual age based on your lifestyle.

So, how old are you really ?

I got the following result:
Your 'real age' is: 36.7

Your age is: 35.6,but you could be younger!

Difference: -1.1


Apparently I would be a lot younger if it wasn't for the beer... ho hum, but 1.1 years younger than my real age wasn't too shabby.

So, how old are you really ?

Real age is 36.4

your age is 35.1 but you could be younger


I blame my parents!

I can't take the test because the latest year of birth that I can choose from is 1984, I was born after that. =/

Now I feel old(er)!

Your 'real age' is: 20.6, but you could be younger!

Your age is: 21.2

Difference: -0.6

I need to lose weight apparently, it must be that i have too much muscle... :P

Your 'real age' is:
Your age is:
Difference:
22.3, but you could be younger!
22.1
0.2 Your Personalized Recommendations
What can you do to start growing younger? Read the personal recommendations and benefits below to see how simple choices can affect your rate of aging.

and you know what the scary part is that this test is right

I'm screwed by region!

let me rephrase. I don't live in the UK, what do I put for region?

south east, more likely to get cancer (radon gas and stuff)

the north, generally dont live as long (bad diet, lifestyle etc.)

london, stress.


I dunno Tow, just pick midlands or something, doubt it matters that much though :)

I am 0.3 (years, presumably) older than I ought to be. (or would be if I lived somewhere in the U.K.)

Recommendations included:
I need to consume more alcohol, drive more slowly (oddly, no more than 5 mph over the _legal_ limit), and sleep more. No word on whether it is recommended to do these things in combination.

I should eat less red meat, and more of everything else, but avoid yo-yo dieting.

Your 'real age' is: 22.8, but you could be younger!
Your age is: 23.3
Difference: -0.6

One serving of red meat a week? Are they serious?

30 pounds of steak a week - that counts as one helping....

lol this is funny - it told me to lose weight... I'm almost the skinniest person i know

maybe i just put the numbers in wrong O_o

Or maybe you only know really fat folks.

It told me to gain weight and my BMI is less than ideal.

"real age" - 20

age - 21.2 (lowest it could go)

Hmm... I should start flossing I guess

well i do live in the US... and there is an obesity EPIDEMIC going on here (or so the media says...)

RUN FOR YO-- i mean, WADDLE! WADDLE FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!


"BEGIN A WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAMME THAT YOU CAN SUSTAIN.
Although body mass index is a pretty good way of judging whether you're the right weight for your height, it's not always a true indicator of health. However, unless you have considerably more muscle and less fat than most people, your BMI is higher than ideal."

I guess i'll have to take the escape clause down at the bottom - I'm one of those wiry guys with no padding. I still don't agree though, last time I looked at one of those BMI charts, i was on the very low side. Dunno where they got theirs from

what's your height/weight?

Isn't BMI just a ratio of those two stats?

I'm 120 pounds and 5' 11'' and I am lower then ideal

the scale in my bathroom might be off, but it said 58kg, and my height is 5ft9. (1.7m)

Wow that seems incredibly average

Difference: -0.6, Yay I'm like a new born babe... except much much older.

I don't live in the U.K (I picked northern) so some small margin of error there. Dietitians make diet suggestions for the masses, (plus they don't know half of what they are talking about) so huge margin of error there. Each of these questions are based on a report or two, which says nothing when you mix the results of all of these together, as Bast has already pointed out comically.

On top of that the wording of the quiz hides what it's really based on, which is how much longer you will live and not how young you are. This stuff couldn't possibly be based on studies that asked people, "how young do you feel". That can easily be seen by the "how fast you drive" question alone. Plus how young you feel/are is far too subjective for any well-conditioned scientist to except. Stupid Scientists.

I would also like to object to flossing being on this list. If anything being left-handed has a bigger effect on one's lifeline then flossing. The fact that your average chainsaw is made for the right-handed person should make this a sizable factor over using a piece of string once or twice a day on your teeth. I am kinda glad, however, that this isn't as disease based as it could be. I think our societies are paranoid enough about little tiny infectious organisms lurking in every corner of the world.

As for the subject of doing everything one can to not die from heart attacks or from motorcycle accidents or from whatever, just stop wasting your time. Everyone has to die from something and your not going to be any different. If you make sure you'll never have a heart attack then maybe you'll die of cancer or a comet landing on your head instead. Nobody lives forever and the best you can do is not die from your own stupid mistakes.

I'm not saying you should start living on fried potato chips and Mountain Dew. I'm just going to say that you should A) stop freaking out if your worried about this stuff and B) go and work on making yourself feel better/younger in the subjective sort of way, not in the chart and graph sort of way.

As for the scientific research that went into this quiz, don't get me wrong, I think it's great that they went through all that trouble to give us numbers and stuff. However, we really don't know much more then the Ancient Greeks when it comes to healthy living, which is to live in moderation.

I would now like to wish you all a happy and healthy life. :)

P.S. Thanks for the link G Beee and I'm sure your beer consumption is quite fine.

Congratulations! You've completed the test!
Your 'real age' is: 24.3, but you could be younger!
Your age is: 23.0
Difference: 1.3

Your Personalized Recommendations
What can you do to start growing younger? Read the personal recommendations and benefits below to see how simple choices can affect your rate of aging.
Benefits
IT'S GREAT THAT YOU DON'T SMOKE! CONTINUE NOT TO SMOKE.
Smoking ages the arteries and causes many diseases. If you used to smoke and quit, this dramatically reverses much of the aging effects of smoking and quickly makes your 'real age' younger.

ENJOY YOUR PET!
It is widely agreed that your pet helps you have a better overall sense of well-being.

CONTINUE TO NOT USE YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING.
Your 'real age' is younger because you never or hardly ever talk on the phone while you are driving. If you talk on the phone while you are driving, you increase your chance of having a road accident. If you need to talk to someone from your car, pull off to the side of the road. Although a voice-activated speakerphone frees both of your hands to drive, it does not lower your risk.

THANK YOU FOR NOT DRINKING AND DRIVING.
Thank you for being responsible by not drinking and driving or riding in a motor vehicle with a driver under the influence of alcohol.

MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORK.
Based on your excellent social support network (family, and friends), your 'real age' is younger. If you are still bothered by stress, we suggest the following: Develop more close social contacts.

Learn to live with or find other ways to reduce your stresses before you have a major stressful life event. Talk to a trained counselor.
Recommendations
MAKE HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE STATE OF YOUR HEALTH.
Studies show that most people are pretty good at judging the general state of their own health. If you feel your health is poor, your 'real age' is not as young as it could be.

YOU SLEEP A LITTLE MORE THAN AVERAGE, BUT THIS MAY BE THE RIGHT AMOUNT FOR YOU.
Sleep is an important way in which the body regulates itself. Getting too little sleep can stress your body. On the other hand, for a few people, getting too much sleep may indicate a health problem. If you think this might be so, talk to your doctor.

BEGIN A WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAMME THAT YOU CAN SUSTAIN.
Although body mass index is a pretty good way of judging whether you're the right weight for your height, it's not always a true indicator of health. However, unless you have considerably more muscle and less fat than most people, your BMI is higher than ideal.

YOUR HEART RATE IS FASTER THAN NORMAL, SO IT MAY BE BEST TO TAKE STEPS TO LOWER IT
Your heart rate is over 75 bpm. A heart rate of 50-75 bpm usually indicates a healthy heart and blood vessels, and a good fitness level. You should consult your doctor about the meaning of a faster-than-normal heart rate, and what steps you should take to lower it.

TAKE STEPS TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Your blood pressure is high, so you will need to take steps to lower it. Your blood pressure should be at or below 120/80 mm Hg.

MONITOR YOUR DIABETES AND TAKE ANY NECESSARY DIABETES MEDICATION AS DIRECTED.
Monitor your diabetes and control your blood sugar levels; weight control, exercise, and diet will help you minimise the aging effects of diabetes.

FLOSS EVERY DAY.
Flossing is the most important thing you can do to prevent periodontal disease and needless aging.

REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE.
You do not have to smoke to be harmed by the effects of smoking. Secondhand smoke can cause cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Reducing your exposure to secondhand smoke can make your 'real age' younger.

DRINKING ONE-HALF TO ONE UNIT OF ALCOHOL PER DAY MAY BE BENEFICIAL.
For most people, moderate alcohol consumption (1/2 - 1 units a day) slows the aging process.

REDUCE YOUR DRIVING SPEED TO NO MORE THAN 5 MPH OVER THE SPEED LIMIT.
Driving less than 5 mph over the speed limit lowers your chance of having a fatal or disabling automobile accident and protects the health of others, too.

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT, AND TRY TO HAVE AIR-BAG PROTECTION EVERY TIME YOU'RE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE.
The use of seat belts prevents serious injury and death from motor vehicle accidents. Air bags are extra protection for most people.

EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.
A daily breakfast helps you sustain energy levels and maintain your weight.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS, INCREASE YOUR GRAIN INTAKE.
By increasing your whole grain intake, you can effectively make your 'real age' younger. Whole grains provide the foundation of a healthy diet. You should consume 6-11 servings a day from this low fat, high-fibre food group to help manage your weight, prevent colon cancer, and prevent other digestive disorders.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS, INCREASE YOUR FRUIT INTAKE.
Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Further, certain fruits are loaded with carotenoids, which have anti-aging properties. Fruits are also a low-calorie alternative to unhealthy sweets. Be sure to eat 2-4 servings of fruit every day for optimum health.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASE YOUR VEGETABLE INTAKE.
Ideally, you should be eating 5-6 servings of vegetables every day. A diet high in vegetables is not only a diet high in vitamins and nutrients, but also fibre. Maximize the anti-aging properties of antioxidants by increasing your vegetable intake.

REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RED MEAT IN YOUR DIET TO ONE SERVING OR LESS A WEEK.
Although red meat (beef, pork, veal, lamb) has high nutritional value--it is a rich source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12--it is loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol. You should try to cut your intake of red meat to less than one serving a week.

IF POSSIBLE, ADD FISH OR OTHER SOURCES OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS TO YOUR DIET SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.
Besides being a good source of protein and vitamins, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce triglyceride levels in the blood and slow aging of the arteries. Be sure to eat at least 2 servings of non-fried fish per week for optimal health benefits.

YOUR WORKOUT MAY BE PERFECT FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS YOU WANT, TRY INCREASING YOUR TIME SPENT DOING AEROBIC, STRENGTH-TRAINING, AND FLEXIBILITY-TRAINING EXERCISES.
Adding aerobic activities, such as dancing, jogging, skipping, swimming, playing soccer, or riding a bike, to your weekly routine can improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Depending on your health, you may need to spend more time every week performing strength-building exercises and activities. Strength-building activities include weight lifting, working with exercise bands, push-ups, sit-ups, and Pilates.

Efforts to improve and maintain your flexibility may help your balance, protect your body from injury, and are an important complement to strength-building activities.

All adults should set a long-term goal to do at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, or preferably all, days of the week. Intermittent or shorter periods of activity (at least 10 minutes), including occupational or nonoccupational tasks and everyday activities of daily life, confer similar cardiovascular and other health benefits if performed at a level of moderate intensity (such as brisk walking) at 30 minutes per day. People who currently meet the recommended minimal standards may derive additional health and fitness benefits from becoming more physically active or including more vigorous activity.

AVOID THE CYCLE OF REPEATED WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT GAIN.
This affects your calculation because your weight has gone up and down like a yo-yo.

40.4
+9.6
50.0

deadman walking :(

Your 'real age' is: 20.7, but you could be younger!
Your age is: 20.8
Difference: 0.0?

YOU'RE PROBABLY IN VERY GOOD HEALTH. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

GOOD JOB! YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.

GOOD JOB! YOUR HEART RATE IS IN THE HEALTHY RANGE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS IN THE HEALTHY RANGE.

GOOD JOB! CONTINUE TO MINIMISE YOUR EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE.

GOOD JOB! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BY CONTINUING TO DRIVE AT A SAFE SPEED.

GOOD JOB! CONTINUE TO EAT BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.

EXCELLENT! YOU ARE EATING THE OPTIMAL AMOUNT OF FRUIT DAILY.

CONTINUE TO NOT USE YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING.

THANK YOU FOR NOT DRINKING AND DRIVING.

MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORK.

YOU MIGHT CONSIDER GAINING SOME WEIGHT.

YOUR WORKOUT MAY BE PERFECT FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS YOU WANT, TRY INCREASING YOUR TIME SPENT DOING AEROBIC, STRENGTH-TRAINING, AND FLEXIBILITY-TRAINING EXERCISES.

Yay Me!

lol i just finished eating about 3 servings of red meat

Argentine style eating: it beats living longer any day.

I got older just going thru all the pages with that says I am 48.1 and was 46 when I started..I am a dinosaur doomed for extinction. "Living is the only thing I will never get out of alive"

Great, im right on the target.

Your 'real age' is: 23.2, but you could be younger!

Your age is: 23.1

Difference: 0.3

Your 'real age' is: 28.3, but you could be younger!
Your age is: 28.3
Difference: 0.0

Your 'real age' is: 28.8, but you could be younger!
Your age is: 29.5
Difference: -0.7

Too much beer, too lazy... ;)

bah i think i got the worse score

My real age is 18.9
and then the second age it said 19 lol. Well I will be 19 in 10 days so... close enough :)

But from that test it wasn't really telling my real age, I feel like im 100 lol.