This exercise is based on data from a variety of sources. It is designed to help you conceptualize and individualize the major factors involved in determining probable length of life and hopefully, to offer suggestions for life-style changes that might extend life. Directions are provided for each section.
1. Year of Birth
Year |
Men |
Women |
1945-1948 |
65 |
71 + 4 mos. |
1949-1952 |
65 + 11 months. |
71 + 6 months |
1953-1956 |
67 |
74 |
1957-1961 |
67 + 6 months. |
74 + 2 months |
1962-1967 |
67 + 8 months |
74 + 4 months |
1968-1973 |
68 |
74 + 8 months |
1974-1979 |
68 + 4 months |
75 |
1980-Present |
68 + 6 months |
75 + 2 months |
| Write down your basic life expectancy: | ______ years | ______ months |
2. Present Age
Age |
Add |
Age |
Add |
16-20 |
2 |
36-40 |
3.5 |
21-25 |
2.5 |
41-45 |
4 |
26-30 |
3 |
46-50 |
4.5 |
31-35 |
3 |
51-55 |
5.5 |
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
3. Physical Fitness and Sports
If you do not exercise regularly or play an active sport, subtract 3 years.
New
Total:
__________ years __________ months.
High-Risk Sports
If you engage in the following sports 6 or more times a year, deduct the indicated number of years.
| Hang gliding - 2 years Free climbing - 2 years Deep scuba diving - 1 year Dirt bike or three-wheeler - 1 year |
New
Total:
__________ years __________ months.
4. Your Shape
Deduct 1 year for every 10 pounds you are overweight and overfat. For each inch your abdominal girth measurement exceeds your chest measurement, deduct 2 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
5. Medical Checkup
Regular Checkups (every 2 or 3 years) add 1 year
No checkup in last 4 years subtract 1 year
Never had checkup subtract 2 years
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
6. Medical Condition
Blood Pressure
Subtract 1/2 year for each 10 mm above 130 resting systolic.
Subtract 1 year for each 5 mm above 85 diastolic.
Subtract 3 months if you do not know your blood pressure reading.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
Cholesterol
200-250 mg % or don't know subtract 1 year
251-300 subtract 2 years
301-400 subtract 4 years
401 + subtract 6 years
125-175 add 2 years
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
HDL Cholesterol
Less than 40 subtract 2 years
More than 50 add 1 year
Don't know subtract 6 months
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
7. Nutrition and Diet
If you never eat breakfast or eat an irregular diet, subtract 1 year.
If you are preoccupied with being slim to the point of having difficulty eating normally or feeling compelled to vomit after eating, subtract 3 years.
If you eat a regular well-balanced diet low in animal fats, salt, and refined sugar, moderate in protein, and rich in fiber, add 2 years.
If you follow a careful vegetarian diet, low in salt, fat, and high in fiber, add 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
8. Sleep
If you get less than 6 hours sleep per day, more than 9 hours sleep per day, or have an irregular sleep schedule, subtract 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
9. Alcohol
Heavy drinker (4 drinks daily) subtract 5 years
Very heavy drinker (5 + drinks daily) subtract 10 years
2 or fewer drinks daily add 1 year
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
10. Smoking
1/2 to 1 pack per day subtract 3 years
1 to 1 1/2 packs per day subtract 5 years
1 1/2 to 2 packs per day subtract 10 years
pipe or cigar subtract 2 years
use smokeless tobacco once a week or more subtract 2 years
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
11. Other Drugs
Prescription and Nonprescription Medical Drugs
Frequency
If you take 20 doses (separate takings) or less per year, add 1 year.
If you take 100-400 doses per year, subtract 1 year.
If you take more than 400 doses per year, subtract 2 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
Variety
If you take an average of three or more different drugs each week, subtract 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
Recreational Drugs
If you use marijuana, downers, or uppers:
25 to 100 times per year, subtract 1 year
over 100 times per year, subtract 2 yearsIf you use cocaine, crack, or PCP 25 or more times per year, subtract 5 years.
If you use opiates such as heroin, codeine, and morphine daily, subtract 10 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
12. Marital Status
If you are married, add 5 years. If happily single, add nothing, subtract nothing.
If you are over 25 and unhappily single, or unhappily married, deduct 1 year for every unhappy decade.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
13. Sexual Activity (AIDS Risk)
If you share an exclusive monogamous relationship, add 1 year.
If you engage in heterosexual vaginal intercourse with 5 or more partners per year, subtract 3 years.
If you engage in anal intercourse with 3 or more partners per year, subtract 3 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
14. Occupation (or most like)
Clergyman add 4 years
Teacher add 3 years
Nurse add 3 years
Lawyer add 3 years
Clerk add 2 years
Physician add 1 or 2 years
Farmer add 2 years
Miner or Quarryman subtract 8 years
Construction subtract 4 years
If happy in your work add 1 year
If unhappy in your work subtract 1 year
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
15. Where You Live
Small town, add 2 years City, subtract 1 year Suburb, 0 years
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
16. Economic Status
If you have been poor for the greater part of your life, subtract 3 years.
If you have been wealthy for the greater part of your life, subtract 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
17. Transportation
If you drive or ride less than 10,000 miles annually, mostly in full sized cars or on public transportation, add 1 year.
If you drive or ride in a compact car up to 15,000 miles yearly, subtract 1 year.
If you drive or ride 15,000 miles or more yearly in a compact car subtract 2 years.
If you always wear a seat belt, add 1 year.
If you never wear a seat belt, subtract 1 year.
If you ride a bicycle or motorcycle in traffic regularly, subtract 3 years.
If you ride a bicycle or motorcycle without a helmet, subtract 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
18. Family Background
If two or more of your grandparents or parents died before age 65 of causes other than accident of infectious disease, subtract 2 years.
If three or four grandparents lived to age 80, add 2 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
19. Stress and Relaxation
If you have not had stress management training and do not practice stress management skills, subtract 1 year.
If you engage in daily relaxation (pleasure reading, TV, music, hobby meditation, etc.), add 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
20. Worry
Subtract 6 months for each 1/2 hour that you worry on an average day.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
21. Mood
If you feel content, positive and hopeful 90% or more of the time, add 1 year.
If you feel content, positive and hopeful about half of the time, subtract 1 year.
If you seldom or never feel content, positive, or hopeful, subtract 2 years.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
22. Personality
If you are driven, impatient, compulsive, or quick to anger, subtract 2 years.
If you are relaxed, patient, tolerant, and easy going, add 1 year.
If you are usually between the above extremes, add 0.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
23. Love
If you receive no affectionate hugs, kisses, touches, words, or other gestures on a daily basis, subtract 2 years.
If you receive 3 or more affectionate hugs, kisses, touches, words, or other gestures on a daily basis, add 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
24. Self-Worth
If you generally feel inadequate or unworthy, subtract 1 year.
If you generally feel adequate and worthy, add 1 year.
New Total: __________ years __________ months.
Look over your responses.