Getting older might be inevitable, but would you spend your time differently if you knew how many years you had left?
Scientists have created a new model to predict the life expectancy of older people.
Unlike most life-expectancy tests, the new method relies more heavily on looking at someone physical and mental cababilities – instead of disease and illnesses they currently have or are likely to develop.
The findings, from a study led by Duke Health researchers, can predict whether a person over the age of 70 is likely to live two, five or ten more years.
The new methodology, published in the Lancet, can predict someone’s life expectancy off their ability to perform normal tasks and the results from a standard blood test.
In the study, the following lifestyle factors were found to be indicative of how many years someone has left:
- If, and for long, someone has smoked for
- Whether you can get yourself dressed
- Ability to do own food shop
- How regularly you exercise
- Cognitive ability
- Current age
- Whether you smoke now
- Ability to do heavy work
As part of the study, researchers followed and investigated the health of over 1000 70 year-olds for ten years.