COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — The 'Real Age' Test helps Blue Zones Project collect data about the health and happiness of people in Southwest Florida, but also helps you determine your body's 'Real Age' — its functional or well-being age. Fox 4 is walking you through the test and explaining what the results mean.
Since 2015, the Blue Zones Project of Southwest Florida has been working to make our area a healthier, happier place to live. It's partnered with over 780 organizations like restaurants, schools, and homeowner's associations to make healthier choices easier. It's sponsored by the NCH Healthcare System.
Our chronological age is the number of years we've been alive, but Deb Logan — the Executive Director of the Blue Zones Project of Southwest Florida — said your 'Real Age' is your body's functional age.
"What is my body's well-being age?" she said.
Logan said the Real Age Test tells you how old you really are, based on what you eat, your activity, your health history and how you sleep.
"They answer a series of questions and it gives them a score," she said.
Across Southwest Florida, Logan said the average person living here is two years and seven months younger than their chronological age. Across the state of Florida, it's five months younger. Across the country, it's six months younger.
Fox 4 Morning Anchor Lisa Greenberg took the Real Age Test. It took her 10-15 minutes, and she answered questions about her health — like blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and the medications she takes. She also answered questions about her mental health — like if she has depression or anxiety. The real age test also her questions about work and sleep.
“There's a lot of good information that you will learn about yourself through answering the other questions," Logan said.
Depending on what you get, you can then set goals to lower or maintain your Real Age.
“That's a motivator. Sometimes we come out younger; our body's well-being is younger than our chronological age. Sometimes we come up older, and so it's just that little nudge to get us to think about 'What could I polish? What can I do a little bit better?'" Logan said.
Then you can take the test again in 3-6 months and see how your score improves. The Real Age Test helps you know your body and overall health better. But Logan said it also helps the greater community because it helps the Blue Zones Project collect data about Southwest Florida.
"It helps us all determine how we can best utilize our resources and best help the community,” she said.
Logan said data from the Real Age Test shows from 2015 to 2021, overall risk factors of chronic disease have gone down 14.1 percent across Southwest Florida.
"When you put that into a simulation model that determines how chronic disease increases medical costs and decreases productivity, a drop of 14.1 percent equals $190.2 million in medical savings and productivity savings over the last six years," she said.
To take the Real Age Test, click here.
