‍What is a BioAge?

When we think of age at LifeQ, we think of BioAge. LifeQ’s BioAge algorithm begins with your chronological age and adjusts by accounting for physiological metrics that have been shown by countless scientific studies to impact your long-term wellness. This calculation gives us an insight into your real-time health and predicts how your health may change in the future.

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How does chronological age compare to BioAge?

Typically, chronological age is the most commonly used metric to understand an individual’s current physiological status and future health trajectory. Imagining the heart of a 25-year-old sets different expectations than imagining the heart of a 65-year-old, doesn’t it? However, as useful as chronological age is for estimating health, this metric fails to consider the whole picture. Is it at all reasonable to assume that all individuals of the same age are equally healthy? Of course not! Different lifestyles, genetic backgrounds, and levels of attention to wellness mean that every individual has a unique health background and future. By accounting for chronological age in addition to the factors most closely tied to health outcomes, LifeQ’s BioAge gives a more complete picture of current and future health and wellness.

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A risk-based approach

To calculate a BioAge we start with a “risk-based” understanding of aging. This method relies on the relationship between an individual's increasing chronological age and their increased all-cause mortality (ACM) risk, or risk of death from any cause. While the process of aging and the associated accumulation of risk is inevitable, long-term scientific studies have shown that certain physiological and behavioral patterns can increase or decrease the rate at which this risk is accumulated. Using the results of these studies, in conjunction with real-world data collected by wearable devices, LifeQ’s algorithms can calculate the rate at which a user is aging with increasing accuracy, which is then presented through their BioAge.

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Why BioAge matters

Your BioAge gives an indication of how your physiology is functioning in real-time and how it may progress in the future. By understanding this predicted progression early, you can act to improve your health today, thereby preparing for a healthier and more functional future. LifeQ’s goal is to assist all users in their journey toward Aging Well™ and knowing your BioAge can help you take the first steps today. 

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How is BioAge displayed?

In LifeQ Health, our comprehensive health app, your BioAge will be presented for each of the five central suites: Activity, Fitness, Cardiovascular, Sleep, and Mental. For each pillar, the BioAg is calculated based on the most strongly related factors associated with that pillar, e.g., Total Sleep Time metrics are used in the calculation of the Sleep BioAge. You will see your BioAge values, as well as a categorization of how “good” or “bad” your BioAge is relative to what it could be. Insights on the LifeQ App will help you understand what physiological and behavioral metrics are most affecting the BioAge calculation and what actions you can take to improve their BioAge. Additionally, you will see an overall LifeQ BioAge, which depends on factors from all four suites, as well as more granular BioAge values that fall under each of the suites.

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Please note that the information provided in the LifeQ Blog articles cannot replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your clinician if you have any concerns about your health. LifeQ leverages the power of consumer wearables and computational systems biology to provide unprecedented biometric data and health insights. 

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