Yesterday the Globe and Mail sported an article titled “How long will you live? Just crunch the numbers” The calculator was created by Ontario scientists and is based on real data on factors contributing to deaths in Ontario, Canada. You have to think, though, it would have relevance in other places too. The crux of the matter for the data is the degree to which our lifestyle choices affect our health.
Being the inquisitive sort, I plugged in my numbers into the calculator: rrasp-phirn.ca/risktools They ask questions about your diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, etc in the past week. I have had a pretty “healthy lifestyle” past week. It was a good time to take the test. The number for me…..96 years old! Are you kidding? My parents died at 52 and 61 respectively (I’m older than that now) but 96-that’s a ripe old age.
Some reflections on the whole thing. First, if I had done the test that reflected my lifestyle choices when we were on vacation recently, my life expectancy would have fallen for sure. Second, indeed, I may live for some 30+ years yet and yet it could be 3.0 years or .3 years or, or, or. And third the answer to planning for what’s next is somewhere between scouting out long-term facilities and not buying green bananas.
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Hi Barb – thanks for the amusement! It does seem a bit wonky to me too… no inclusion of weight or family history? And apparently 3 hours of exercise per week has the same effect as eliminating stress. I guess I’ll skip the exercise. 🙂
Ah, but if you do both the results are much better. The exercise gives one good cause for good food. The good news is how much we can do aside from family history. Thanks for the comment.
I did one of those quizzes once and it said I had died 10 years previously. Mom and Dad died at 80; Dad’s parents at 90 and 95. Mom’s parents at about 70 and 84. Taking a wild guess, I too shall see 90. Or maybe be gone tomorrow.
Barb, may you live as long as you want to and want to as long as you live.
Thanks Al-a great wish which I return to you as well.