News & Info

A New Tool for Heart Health

As part of February’s American Heart Month, the American Heart Association launched a new campaign, Life’s Simple 7, which includes the My Life Check quiz that consumers can use to quickly ascertain their risk level for developing heart failure, a condition in which the heart is weakened, reducing blood flow to the body.

The interactive quiz allows users to evaluate seven risk factors to come up with a heart health score, and then offers suggests for improvement. The Simple 7 factors are:

• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Blood sugar
• Physical activity
• Diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Smoking

Professor Vanessa Xanthakis of Boston University performed the study that pinpointed the numbers behind Life’s Simple 7. Said Xanthakis, “Even though there is awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, many people don’t act on those messages. This study points to the importance of knowing your numbers and speaking to your doctor about improving your score on each health metric and trying to get as close to ideal status as possible.”

Visit the website of the American Heart Association to take the My Life Check quiz. A Spanish language version is also available.

Source: IlluminAge AgeWise, reporting on materials from the American Heart Association (www.heart.org)