‘Child at heart’ has never been more relevant! Or is it ‘old at heart’?

Do you think your heart’s the same age as your calendar age? Think again.

A team of US cardiologists has launched a free online tool that calculates your cardiovascular ‘ heart age ’ using familiar health metrics, like blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes status, kidney function, and smoking history.

The system translates complex cardiovascular risk into a simple age, making it easier to understand and take action. Launched alongside a large nationwide study of over 14,000 adults (aged 30-79), the tool reveals many Americans have hearts aging faster than expected.

Here's how it works, who’s most affected, and what you can do to turn back the clock.


What the study revealed

Researchers at Northwestern University published their findings on July 30 in JAMA Cardiology, using the PREVENT risk equations developed by the American Heart Association. These modern equations incorporate routine health data and reflect diverse populations more accurately than older models like Framingham. When applied to participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2020), the tool revealed that over 50% of adults have ‘heart ages’ that exceed their actual age.


What exactly is ‘heart age’?

Heart age refers to the estimated age of a person's cardiovascular system based on their risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and physical inactivity. It's a way to understand how lifestyle and health choices affect the health of your heart, potentially making it older or younger than your actual age.



The ‘heart age’ calculator

The study led by Dr. Sadiya Khan of Northwestern University introduced the tool in JAMA Cardiology, basing it on the PREVENT risk model, an updated alternative to older frameworks like the Framingham Risk Score. The online calculator translates users' routine health data into a ‘heart age’ score that aims to make cardiovascular risk more relatable and actionable, especially in busy primary care settings.


The shocking truth about most Americans’ ‘heart age’

Using data from over 14,000 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the study found:

Women averaged a heart age of 55.4, while their actual age averaged 51.3

Men averaged a heart age of 56.7, compared to an actual age of 49.7

That means many Americans could have hearts that are 4-7 years older than their birth certificate suggests.

Sociodemographic factors sharpened the disparity. On average, Black men had a heart age that was 8.5 years older than their chronological age while Black women's hearts were 6.2 years older than their actual age. Hispanic men had a gap of 7.9 years between their heart age and actual age, compared to a gap of 4.8 years for Hispanic women. Lower education levels (especially high school or less) were associated with wider heart-age gaps, often exceeding a decade.

Meanwhile, white men had an average heart age that was 6.4 years higher than their actual age. And white women had a gap of 3.7 years between their heart age and chronological age.


Why ‘heart age’ resonates (better than percentages)

Traditional risk models offer a percentage chance of a cardiovascular event, something like an “8% risk in 10 years.” But those numbers can feel abstract and fail to motivate many patients.

On the other hand, describing cardiovascular risk in terms of ‘heart age’ helps people understand how their habits and health metrics stack up.

Preventive cardiologist Dr. Sadiya Khan explains that this age-based framing motivates actionable conversations and encourages preventive steps earlier, especially in younger adults who may overlook long-term risk.



Experts’ take

As reported by Today, while "it's probably not that meaningful if your age is off by one or two years," says Dr. Sadiya Khan. The authors of the research recommend getting concerned if the gap is five years or more.

As per Dr. Khan, "Heart disease is the leading cause of death. So the gaps that we're seeing are similar to gaps in life expectancy and may be contributing to it."

"Because the (heart ages) are based on 10-year risks, this is a little bit of a forecast," Khan explains. And the data is "likely pointing to worsening cardiovascular disease risk if we're seeing gaps in even young people," she says.

On the flip side, some people had heart ages that were actually lower than their chronological age, which Khan describes as "the Holy Grail." That's likely thanks, at least in part, to genetics, which means it's not totally within our control, she says.

Aiming for a heart age that's younger than your chronological age is probably overly optimistic, Khan says, but knowing that it's possible makes it a worthy goal.


How does the calculator work (and what are the limitations)

The tool requires a few metrics to calculate your heart age, such as:

Age, sex

Blood pressure (systolic)

Cholesterol levels

Diabetes and smoking status

Kidney health (eGFR)

Use of blood pressure medications

It is tailored for adults 30-79 years old with no existing cardiovascular disease, and is designed for educational use, not to replace physician evaluation. Experts caution that the tool does not account for physical fitness, exercise habits, or women-specific cardiovascular risk factors such as pregnancy-related complications or menopause



How to slow down the heart’s aging

To slow down the heart's aging process and reduce the risk of heart disease, focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a heart-healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Regular health checkups are also crucial for early detection and management of any potential heart issues.

Research suggests, even modest changes, such as walking regularly or improving diet, can bring your heart age closer to or even below your actual age over time.