Latest news with #HealthOctoTool
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How Old Are You Really? New Test Calculates Biological Age and Longevity With 90% Accuracy
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." You've heard it for years: Age is just a number. But there's been a huge focus lately on biological age, which is how old your cells are. There are a bunch of different ways to calculate this number, including tests you can order online. But researchers have just discovered a new way of calculating your biological age—and they say it's the most accurate one you'll find. It's called the Health Octo Tool, and it uses a slew of different metrics to figure out your biological age. Meet the experts: David Cutler, M.D., a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Parul Goyal, M.D., a geriatrician at Vanderbilt Health in Nashville; Shabnam Salimi, M.D., Ph.D., physician-scientist and an investigator at the University of Washington Medicine Healthy Aging & Longevity Research Institute Here's why there's so much buzz around it right now, plus why knowing your biological age may help you live longer. The Health Octo tool is a new health assessment tool that uses several metrics taken from a physical exam and routine lab tests. When used together, it can help determine a person's biological age and predict their risk of disability and death, according to a scientific paper published in Nature Communications. The tool centers around an aging concept called health entropy, which is how much molecular and cellular damage the body accumulates over time, as well as how that damage impacts organs and bodily systems. To create the tool, the researchers analyzed data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging, analyzing participants' medical history as well as data from physical exams and other medical tests. The researchers also included data from two other large studies on more than 45,000 adults. The scientists created what they called a Body Organ Disease Number, which was based on the number of organ systems, like the cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous systems, that were impacted by disease. They also factored in whether a person had a history of cancer or stroke to get a score between one and 14. The researchers also created something called a Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age to break down how a person's biological age impacts their walking speed (which is a common measure of function in older people). Also in the mix: Disability-Body Clock and Disability Body Age, which analyzes how getting older impacts the risk of developing cognitive and physical disability. All of those metrics can be gathered from a person's medical history, physical exam, and test results to calculate a person's aging process. Ultimately, the researchers say that the Health Octo tool is better than major tests used for assessing biological age, including the frailty index, a widely-used test that looks at a person's susceptibility to age-related health issues. The researchers found that the test can predict the odds of developing disability and death with 90% or higher accuracy. The Health Octo tool uses some of the same data from existing biological tests, but takes things a step further. Many of the tests that are currently used focus on the impact of certain diseases, but don't consider how those diseases and minor disorders impact a person's overall health, the researchers explained in the paper. 'Health decline is multi-dimensional,' says lead study author Shabnam Salimi, M.D., Ph.D., physician-scientist and an investigator at the University of Washington Medicine Healthy Aging & Longevity Research Institute. 'So, we decided to develop a multi-dimensional health metric that captures intrinsic aging and rate of aging.' Knowing your biological age has become more of a fun health flex lately, but doctors say it's important to know this number beyond bragging rights. 'There is some value to seeing the things you should be doing,' says David Cutler, M.D., a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Meaning, if you know your diet isn't as clean as it should be, and your biological age is older than your chronological age (i.e. how many years you've been alive), it should be a wake-up call to do things differently. 'Biological aging mechanisms underlie accumulation of chronic diseases,' Dr. Salimi says. 'So, translating health to rate of aging can help to better understand biological aging mechanisms and response to interventions that target biological age.' Parul Goyal, M.D., a geriatrician at Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, agrees. 'Knowing your biological age is a good tool so that patients are more aware of what their health looks like,' she says. 'They can then make proactive, positive changes in their health to be more physically fit and emotionally engaged.' While Dr. Cutler points out that 'you probably know that you should be doing things differently anyway,' if you're not on top of your health habits, he notes that a higher biological age may motivate some people to make changes. Of course, that doesn't mean that it will. 'Is that going to make people drink less, avoid smoking, and eat better? We don't know,' Dr. Cutler says. Doctors recommend doing a lot of different things to age in a healthy way, although none are shocking. Here's the advice Dr. Cutler and Dr. Goyal share with their patients: Eat a healthy, varied diet—ideally the Mediterranean diet. Limit alcohol or avoid it entirely. Don't smoke or quit smoking. Try to be active on a daily basis. Stay on top of routine healthcare, including cancer screenings. Wear a helmet when you ride a bike. Use your seatbelt in the car. Try to minimize stress in your life. Focus on getting good sleep. Try to stay mentally stimulated. Socialize with friends and family. Dr. Salimi says that she and her fellow researchers are now working on developing an app to make the Health Octo Tool easier to use. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
This new tool measures how fast you're ageing and predicts future health risks: Research
Researchers have created a new "body clock" tool that estimates a person's biological age and may predict the risk of disability or death. Developed by the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, the tool analyses eight key metrics from a patient's physical exam and bloodwork. The method called the Health Octo Tool, is explained in a May 5 study published in the journal Nature Communications. (Also read: Doctor reveals '1 thing that's proven to slow ageing' and reduces your biological age ) Researchers say the Health Octo Tool offers a more complete view of wellness than standard health checks, which often focus on single diseases. Using data from large longevity studies, the tool predicts disability, geriatric conditions, physical decline, and mortality. According to Dr. Shabnam Salimi, researchers have developed a method that offers a more comprehensive approach to health than traditional assessments, which focus on individual diseases. The Health Octo Tool predicts disability, geriatric syndrome, physical function, and mortality with 90% accuracy or higher. The tool measures "health entropy," or the molecular and cellular damage accumulated over time, impacting organ function and overall ageing. It assigns a "body organ disease number" based on whether any organs, like the heart or lungs, have been affected by disease. The study showed that organ systems age at different rates, leading to the creation of a Bodily System-Specific Age metric and the Bodily-Specific Clock to reflect each organ's biological age. The researchers introduced the concept of the Body Clock, a comprehensive measure of overall intrinsic age and body age, reflecting the rate at which the body ages. The tool includes components like Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, which track how biological age impacts walking speed, and Disability-Body Clock and Disability-Body Age, which monitor the effects of ageing on cognitive function and physical disability. Dr. Salimi pointed out that seemingly minor conditions, such as untreated hypertension early in life, could significantly affect ageing later. Treating these conditions early could slow biological ageing. The researchers are working on developing a digital app to help individuals track their biological age, monitor ageing progress, and assess the effects of lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, or longevity-targeting medications. "This app will allow people to visualise how their body and each organ system responds to changes," said Salimi.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
‘Body clock' could determine biological age and longevity, researchers say
Researchers have developed a new 'body clock' tool that calculates people's biological age — and could even predict the risk of disability or death. The tool, which comes from the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, uses eight different metrics from a patient's physical exam and bloodwork to determine the results, according to a press release from UW. Advertisement The tool's method — officially named the Health Octo Tool — is detailed in the journal Nature Communication in a May 5 publication. The researchers see this method as more comprehensive than current health assessments, which typically focus on individual diseases rather than overall wellness, according to the report's first author, Dr. Shabnam Salimi, a physician-scientist and acting instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at UW. Using data from large longevity studies, the Health Octo Tool was found to predict disability, geriatric syndrome (a group of common health conditions in older adults), Short Physical Performance Battery (a clinical tool that assesses lower extremity function in older adults) and mortality with 90% accuracy or greater, the study reported. 4 The Health Octo Tool, created by the University of Washington, composed of eight components designed to assess multidimensional health. University of Washington Advertisement 'An aging-based framework offers a new path to discover biomarkers and therapeutics that target organ-specific or whole-body aging, rather than individual diseases,' Salimi said in the release. The tool focuses on 'health entropy,' which encompasses the amount of molecular and cellular damage the body has sustained over time. That has a direct impact on the function of a person's organs and overall body systems, which can be used to determine how fast they are aging, the researchers noted. The tool starts by assigning a 'body organ disease number,' ranging from 1 to 14, based on whether the patient has experienced any diseases affecting the heart, lungs, brain or other specific organ systems. Advertisement 'Our findings demonstrated that organ systems age at different rates, prompting us to develop a Bodily System-Specific Age metric to reflect the aging rate of each organ system and the Bodily-Specific Clock to represent each organ system's intrinsic biological age,' Salimi said. 4 The tool starts by assigning a 'body organ disease number,' ranging from 1 to 14, based on whether the patient has experienced any diseases affecting the heart, lungs, brain or other specific organ systems. nenetus – 'Extending this concept to the whole body, we define the Body Clock as a composite measure of overall intrinsic age and body age as the corresponding rate of aging.' Two of the components of the tool, Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, measure how biological age affects walking speed. Advertisement The Disability-Body Clock and Disability-Body Age components measure aging's impact on cognitive function and physical disability, the release stated. One takeaway from the research was that some seemingly minor conditions, such as untreated hypertension early in life, could have a significant impact on aging in later years, according to Salimi. This indicates that treating these conditions sooner could slow down biological aging. 4 Two of the components of the tool, Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, measure how biological age affects walking speed. Roman – Looking ahead, the researchers plan to develop a digital app that people can use to track their own biological age, track how fast they are aging, and measure the impact of lifestyle changes. 'Whether someone is adopting a new diet, exercise routine or taking longevity-targeting drugs, they will be able to visualize how their body — and each organ system — is responding,' said Salimi. Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who also runs a longevity practice, was not involved in the tool's development, but commented on its potential benefits and limitations. Advertisement 'This tool distinguishes itself by basing its model on readily accessible physical exam findings and standard lab tests, offering a potentially practical framework for clinical application,' he told Fox News Digital. 'An app is also being developed to empower patients and potentially encourage the development of health habits that will positively impact their healthspan — or how long they will remain functional and disease-free.' The doctor also praised the Octo Tool's focus on system-based aging metrics rather than disease-specific assessments. Osborn noted, however, that there are limitations to these types of proposed biological aging clocks — primarily that they can't counter the 'inherent complexity of aging.' Advertisement 'Aging is not a linear or wholly quantifiable process — it is influenced by myriad known and unknown genetic, molecular, environmental and psychosocial factors,' the doctor said. 'It is a truly 'analog' and 'non–digital' process. Therefore, it should be no surprise that no model has captured its entire landscape.' UW's tool doesn't take into account certain genetic and DNA processes that influence biological aging, Osborn noted. 'Aging clocks have also often fallen short when applied across diverse populations or when predicting individual outcomes (lifespan),' he added. Advertisement 4 Looking ahead, the researchers plan to develop a digital app that people can use to track their own biological age, track how fast they are aging, and measure the impact of lifestyle changes. Kzenon – Rather than determining absolute biological age, Osborn suggests using these tools to track trends over time. 'For example, tools like the Health Octo can help evaluate an individual's response to interventions — be it a new exercise regimen, medication or lifestyle change.' The most important thing, according to Osborn, is to use comprehensive testing and tracking as a springboard to the formation of lifelong health habits. Advertisement 'If it saves one person's life by bringing their ailing health (manifested as a downward trend) to their attention, that's a win,' he said. The research was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant from the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Body clock' could determine biological age and longevity, researchers say
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Researchers have developed a new "body clock" tool that calculates people's biological age — and could even predict the risk of disability or death. The tool, which comes from the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, uses eight different metrics from a patient's physical exam and bloodwork to determine the results, according to a press release from UW. The tool's method — officially named the Health Octo Tool — is detailed in the journal Nature Communication in a May 5 publication. Secrets Of Longevity From The World's 'Blue Zones' The researchers see this method as more comprehensive than current health assessments, which typically focus on individual diseases rather than overall wellness, according to the report's first author, Dr. Shabnam Salimi, a physician-scientist and acting instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at UW. Researchers have developed a new "body clock" tool that calculates people's biological age — and could even predict the risk of disability or death. Using data from large longevity studies, the Health Octo Tool was found to predict disability, geriatric syndrome (a group of common health conditions in older adults), Short Physical Performance Battery (a clinical tool that assesses lower extremity function in older adults) and mortality with 90% accuracy or greater, the study reported. Read On The Fox News App "An aging-based framework offers a new path to discover biomarkers and therapeutics that target organ-specific or whole-body aging, rather than individual diseases," Salimi said in the release. Healthy Eating In Middle Age Has This Key Longevity Benefit The tool focuses on "health entropy," which encompasses the amount of molecular and cellular damage the body has sustained over time. That has a direct impact on the function of a person's organs and overall body systems, which can be used to determine how fast they are aging, the researchers noted. The tool starts by assigning a "body organ disease number," ranging from 1 to 14, based on whether the patient has experienced any diseases affecting the heart, lungs, brain or other specific organ systems. "Our findings demonstrated that organ systems age at different rates, prompting us to develop a Bodily System-Specific Age metric to reflect the aging rate of each organ system and the Bodily-Specific Clock to represent each organ system's intrinsic biological age," Salimi said. Life Expectancy In Humans Not Likely To Increase Much More, Study Suggests "Extending this concept to the whole body, we define the Body Clock as a composite measure of overall intrinsic age and body age as the corresponding rate of aging." Two of the components of the tool, Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, measure how biological age affects walking speed. "An aging-based framework offers a new path to discover biomarkers and therapeutics that target organ-specific or whole-body aging, rather than individual diseases," said the lead researcher. The Disability-Body Clock and Disability-Body Age components measure aging's impact on cognitive function and physical disability, the release stated. One takeaway from the research was that some seemingly minor conditions, such as untreated hypertension early in life, could have a significant impact on aging in later years, according to Salimi. This indicates that treating these conditions sooner could slow down biological aging. Looking ahead, the researchers plan to develop a digital app that people can use to track their own biological age, track how fast they are aging, and measure the impact of lifestyle changes. "Whether someone is adopting a new diet, exercise routine or taking longevity-targeting drugs, they will be able to visualize how their body — and each organ system — is responding," said Salimi. "Aging is not a linear or wholly quantifiable process — it is influenced by myriad known and unknown genetic, molecular, environmental and psychosocial factors," one doctor said. Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who also runs a longevity practice, was not involved in the tool's development, but commented on its potential benefits and limitations. "This tool distinguishes itself by basing its model on readily accessible physical exam findings and standard lab tests, offering a potentially practical framework for clinical application," he told Fox News Digital. "An app is also being developed to empower patients and potentially encourage the development of health habits that will positively impact their healthspan — or how long they will remain functional and disease-free." Retirement Could Be Bad For Your Health, Says Wellness Expert: 'Powered By Purpose' The doctor also praised the Octo Tool's focus on system-based aging metrics rather than disease-specific assessments. Osborn noted, however, that there are limitations to these types of proposed biological aging clocks — primarily that they can't counter the "inherent complexity of aging." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "Aging is not a linear or wholly quantifiable process — it is influenced by myriad known and unknown genetic, molecular, environmental and psychosocial factors," the doctor said. "It is a truly 'analog' and 'non–digital' process. Therefore, it should be no surprise that no model has captured its entire landscape." The most important thing, according to one expert, is to use comprehensive testing and tracking as a springboard to the formation of lifelong health habits. UW's tool doesn't take into account certain genetic and DNA processes that influence biological aging, Osborn noted. "Aging clocks have also often fallen short when applied across diverse populations or when predicting individual outcomes (lifespan)," he added. Rather than determining absolute biological age, Osborn suggests using these tools to track trends over time. "For example, tools like the Health Octo can help evaluate an individual's response to interventions — be it a new exercise regimen, medication or lifestyle change." The most important thing, according to Osborn, is to use comprehensive testing and tracking as a springboard to the formation of lifelong health habits. For more Health articles, visit "If it saves one person's life by bringing their ailing health (manifested as a downward trend) to their attention, that's a win," he said. The research was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant from the U.S. National Institute on Aging. Original article source: 'Body clock' could determine biological age and longevity, researchers say
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
‘Body clock' could determine biological age and longevity, researchers say
Researchers have developed a new "body clock" tool that calculates people's biological age — and could even predict the risk of disability or death. The tool, which comes from the University of Washington School of Medicine, uses eight different metrics from a patient's physical exam and bloodwork to determine the results, according to a press release from UW. The tool's method — officially named the Health Octo Tool — is detailed in the journal Nature Communication in a May 5 publication. SECRETS OF LONGEVITY FROM THE WORLD'S 'BLUE ZONES' The researchers see this method as more comprehensive than current health assessments, which typically focus on individual diseases rather than overall wellness, according to the report's first author, Dr. Shabnam Salimi, a physician-scientist and acting instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at UW. Using data from large longevity studies, the Health Octo Tool was found to predict disability, geriatric syndrome (a group of common health conditions in older adults), Short Physical Performance Battery (a clinical tool that assesses lower extremity function in older adults) and mortality with 90% accuracy or greater, the study reported. "An aging-based framework offers a new path to discover biomarkers and therapeutics that target organ-specific or whole-body aging, rather than individual diseases," Salimi said in the release. HEALTHY EATING IN MIDDLE AGE HAS THIS KEY LONGEVITY BENEFIT The tool focuses on "health entropy," which encompasses the amount of molecular and cellular damage the body has sustained over time. That has a direct impact on the function of a person's organs and overall body systems, which can be used to determine how fast they are aging, the researchers noted. "Aging is a truly analog and non-digital process." The tool starts by assigning a "body organ disease number," ranging from 1 to 14, based on whether the patient has experienced any diseases affecting the heart, lungs, brain or other specific organ systems. "Our findings demonstrated that organ systems age at different rates, prompting us to develop a Bodily System-Specific Age metric to reflect the aging rate of each organ system and the Bodily-Specific Clock to represent each organ system's intrinsic biological age," Salimi said. LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HUMANS NOT LIKELY TO INCREASE MUCH MORE, STUDY SUGGESTS "Extending this concept to the whole body, we define the Body Clock as a composite measure of overall intrinsic age and body age as the corresponding rate of aging." Two of the components of the tool, Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, measure how biological age affects walking speed. The Disability-Body Clock and Disability-Body Age components measure aging's impact on cognitive function and physical disability, the release stated. One takeaway from the research was that some seemingly minor conditions, such as untreated hypertension early in life, could have a significant impact on aging in later years, according to Salimi. This indicates that treating these conditions sooner could slow down biological aging. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Looking ahead, the researchers plan to develop a digital app that people can use to track their own biological age, track how fast they are aging, and measure the impact of lifestyle changes. "Whether someone is adopting a new diet, exercise routine or taking longevity-targeting drugs, they will be able to visualize how their body — and each organ system — is responding," said Salimi. Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who also runs a longevity practice, was not involved in the tool's development, but commented on its potential benefits and limitations. "This tool distinguishes itself by basing its model on readily accessible physical exam findings and standard lab tests, offering a potentially practical framework for clinical application," he told Fox News Digital. "An app is also being developed to empower patients and potentially encourage the development of health habits that will positively impact their healthspan – or how long they will remain functional and disease-free." RETIREMENT COULD BE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH, SAYS WELLNESS EXPERT: 'POWERED BY PURPOSE' The doctor also praised the Octo Tool's focus on system-based aging metrics rather than disease-specific assessments. Osborn noted, however, that there are limitations to these types of proposed biological aging clocks — primarily that they can't counter the "inherent complexity of aging." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "Aging is not a linear or wholly quantifiable process — it is influenced by myriad known and unknown genetic, molecular, environmental and psychosocial factors," the doctor said. "It is a truly 'analog' and 'non–digital' process. Therefore, it should be no surprise that no model has captured its entire landscape." UW's tool doesn't take into account certain genetic and DNA processes that influence biological aging, Osborn noted. "Aging clocks have also often fallen short when applied across diverse populations or when predicting individual outcomes (lifespan)," he added. "If it saves one person's life by bringing their ailing health to their attention, that's a win." Rather than determining absolute biological age, Osborn suggests using these tools to track trends over time. "For example, tools like the Health Octo can help evaluate an individual's response to interventions — be it a new exercise regimen, medication or lifestyle change." The most important thing, according to Osborn, is to use comprehensive testing and tracking as a springboard to the formation of lifelong health habits. For more Health articles, visit "If it saves one person's life by bringing their ailing health (manifested as a downward trend) to their attention, that's a win." The research was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant from the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
