• What is heart age calculator?

Heart age calculator is a unique tool where users, by just answering few simple questions around their weight, cholesterol and blood pressure measures, can find out their heart’s age and in fact understand their heart risk in less than five minutes with the Heart Age Calculator. Heart Age is calculated using validated scientific research into the factors that improve heart health, using published research from the Framingham Heart Study in Boston.

• Significance of Heart Age Calculator: Understanding Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) include a set of diseases that are associated with heart and blood vessels. It includes a series of Heart diseases such as: heart attack (also known as coronary heart disease – CHD), heart failure, stroke, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease,and others. The probability of an incidence of CVD increases when a material called plaque increases in the walls of the arteries. This build-up narrows the arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow through. If a blood clot forms, it can stop the blood flow, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

• India’s growing problem of CVD

India has a major problem of CVDs with it being the leading cause of mortality in India, accounting for 23% of all deaths. Amongst various CVDs, it is coronary heart disease (CHD) that is causing 95% of the deaths. The primary factors contributing to the rise of CVDs in India are:

1. Poor Lifestyle habits: Over the last two-three decades, India has seen massive urbanization bringing about poor lifestyle habits including: unhealthy diet, reduced physical activity, increase in stress levels, and smoking.
2. Rise in co-risk diseases: Besides CVD, the advent of various intermediary diseases and risk factors wrt CVDs have also surged including: hypertension, diabetes, and increase in bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol)

• AllizHealth’s data analytics insight on CVD

At AllizHealth we have been working, now for several years, on identifying users’ CVD & CHD risk and providing users with various tools to track and manage the same.  AIH’s data analytics throws up several important insights including:

• Population with High CVD risk will increase by 6% in the next 20 years where as population with medium CVD risk will increase by 20%
• 41-50 Age Group:  Our predictive models show that the High &Medium Risk population will increase from 19% (10 years hence) to drastic 61% (20 years hence)
• 31-40 Age group:  20 year from now, 31% more population will be at moderate risk

• Why is Heart Age Calculator Used?

As AllizHealth’s insights (stated above) suggest that with progression of time, we could see a severe rise in CVD risks. It also highlights a silver lining that individuals have adequate time opportunity to reduce their risks for CVDs by undertaking preventive measures early. We felt that a good starting point could be by providing users with insight into the current state of their heart’s health. That premise led us to the Heart age calculator.

• Heart Age Calculator Results & Acting on your results: Simple ways to prevent Heart disease

1. Diet: Consistent consumption of a diet low on sugar & saturated fat, consisting of fruits and vegetables would not only cut the risk for CVDs but also reduce the risks around advent of diabetes and high blood pressure.
2. Weight management: Maintaining BMI under the normal range would also help in reducing CVD risk.
3. Physical activity & stress management:Insufficient physical activity and increased stress can contribute to a rise in CVD risks. 30 minutes of physical exercise at-least five times a week would be highly beneficial in managing CVD risks. Practicing yoga and meditation can also help in reducing stress and increasing body vigour.
4. Smoking & alcohol consumption:From the perspective of managing CVD risks, smoking cessation is extremely important. Also, individuals should stay put of second hand smoke as much possible. Furthermore, alcohol consumption should be limited to the recommended daily limits.

• Preventive screening:

Along with various preventive measures, Individuals can also build more comprehensive perspective on their CVD risks by knowing their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It can be done by undertaking simple blood tests consisting of fasting blood sugar and lipid profile. If blood sugar and or cholesterol levels are beyond normal range then individuals are advised to approach general physician or specialist and start corrective measures, progressing towards a more healthy life.