SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Does owning a dog make you younger? Is taking vitamins key to living a longer, healthier life? Does flossing your teeth extend your years? Is an optimistic attitude more than a platitude in the live-longer, feel-great debate?
A completely updated version of the RealAge Test—the landmark online health assessment that’s been taken by more than 27 million people—was launched today. Based on a massive review of the latest medical, nutritional, and fitness studies, this first major update recalculates your biological age—how old your body thinks you are. Even more important, the test uncovers which factors are making you age faster, or stay younger longer, and gives you a personalized Grow Younger Plan to fix or reinforce them.
The Science Behind the New RealAge Test
The team behind the complex effort to rework the RealAge Test, considered the gold standard of wellness self-assessment, was led by Keith Roach, MD, chief medical officer for RealAge, and included the creator of the original RealAge Test, Michael Roizen, MD. The new test incorporates major research findings from the most important medical, nutritional and fitness studies conducted in recent years by influential institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. census, the National Center for Health Statistics, and more.
What Changed?
The result was a major reassessment that changed dozens of elements of the test. Some of the lifestyle factors in the old test that were modified by the new research include:
- Does having a pet help keep you young? It depends. Although pets can make you happier, they only make you healthier if you exercise with them.
- Is a daily multivitamin still a must? Probably not. But some individual nutrients—particularly vitamin D and omega-3—have switched from bit players to superstars.
- Does flossing really make your RealAge younger? Yes, but for a new reason. Flossing, a famous stay-young habit in the old test, is vital for your heart. Why? Flossing fights gum disease, which can set off widespread inflammation that damages arteries.
- Can a bad attitude age you? Absolutely. Optimism, hostility and anger all affect your RealAge—and much more than most experts suspected a few years ago.
Coming Next: New All-About-You Tools
The RealAge Test runs on a powerful algorithm, invisible to users, that balances the hundreds of variables that affect your individual RealAge—and that will deliver a steady stream of new all-about-you features in 2011. Soon you’ll be able to:
- Play “What if.” Want to know what your RealAge would be if you lost 10 pounds or exercised daily for 3 months? Later this year, you’ll instantly be able to find out.
- Get credit for the small stuff. It all counts. Did you just take a spin class? Make it through day 2 of not smoking? Soon you can watch mini changes add up to big benefits.
- Compare yourself to others. If you’re 41, wouldn’t you love to know how your RealAge compares with the average 41-year-old in your area? That’s on the way, too.
“Whether you’ve never taken the RealAge Test or took it six months ago, the updated test will give you surprising new insights into what’s making you age faster—and how you can stay younger,” says Dr. Roach. “What could be more important?”
To arrange an interview with one of the RealAge doctors, please contact Jessica Attanasio at 610-228-2112 or jessica@gregoryfca.com.
To download or view images of the new RealAge Test, click here.
ABOUT REALAGE
RealAge.com is a leading health and wellness website centered on the groundbreaking RealAge Test—a highly scientific but user-friendly calculation of how old your body thinks you are. The patented Test, which launched in 1999 and has been taken by more than 27 million people, is backed by powerful new technology that allows it to be constantly updated with the latest medical studies. Anyone who takes the Test receives a personalized Grow Younger Plan designed to turn back your body clock. The site also offers health tips, dozens of other tests, and practical, inspiring information to help make your RealAge younger. RealAge, Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Magazines, a division of the Hearst Corporation.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6602841&lang=en