RealAge redux

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Almost a year ago, I took the RealAge test to find out my, yes, “real” age. The health website, run by Drs. Roizen and Oz (from “Oprah” fame), asks a number of questions about your health history, nutrition, exercise regimen and other personal details to determine what biological age your body is separate from your chronological age.

http://shirin.mit.edu

In March, my RealAge was identical to my chronological age: 23.1 years. So I decided to take the test again today on my birthday and see how the results compare. Am I older? Younger? Oddly the same as nearly a year ago?

RealAge is packed full of useful information. There are stories on the best foods to promote bone density and unclogged arteries, free newsletters and recipes, and a bunch of easy-to-use self-diagnostic tests. (Which, in the wrong hands, could quickly turn even the most clear-headed person into a hypochondriac, but might be helpful in flagging a real problem.)

On to the test…

Woah!

So what changed? In the past year, I learned a lot more about nutrition and began to exercise regularly, something I’d never done before. I also eat much more healthfully than during my year living in Korea.

The good:

• always wearing a seatbelt
• having a healthy BMI
• being a non-smoker
• eating lots of fruits and veggies
• doing cardio activity

The bad:

• not having a dog
• facing a lot of stress
• not building flexibility
• not knowing cholesterol levels
• not doing enough strength training

Obviously, this is just a fun test and for any serious medical questions, you should always see a doctor.

What’s your RealAge?