Frequently asked questions

Lifespan is simply how long you live. Healthspan is how long you live in good health — free from serious chronic disease, cognitive decline, or disability that significantly limits your quality of life.

The two diverge more than most people expect. In high-income countries, people spend an average of 8–10 of their final years in a state of reduced health. Helixspan focuses on healthspan because it is more closely linked to controllable lifestyle behaviours than raw lifespan.

The score is a population-level approximation, not a personal prediction. The factor weights come from large observational studies that measure average effects across thousands of participants — your individual result may differ substantially due to genetics, access to healthcare, undiagnosed conditions, and many other variables the model does not capture.

Think of it as a compass for reflection, not a clinical measurement. A change in score when you adjust a factor reflects real population-level evidence, but the absolute number should not be taken literally.

Seven factors were chosen because they are: (1) strongly supported by large longitudinal cohort studies, (2) modifiable by individual behaviour, and (3) measurable without clinical tests or medical records.

Factors like blood pressure, blood glucose, and sleep apnea are equally important — but most people don't have those numbers to hand. Including them without accurate inputs would make results less reliable rather than more so.

No. Genetic factors — family history of disease, inherited conditions, polygenic risk scores — are not included in the model. This is a significant limitation.

The model assumes you are starting from a population-average genetic baseline. If you have a strong family history of a particular condition, the estimates may be systematically off for you in a direction the calculator cannot know.

Moderate-intensity exercise raises your heart rate and makes you breathe harder, but you can still hold a conversation. Examples include brisk walking, cycling on flat terrain, swimming at a moderate pace, dancing, or light jogging.

Vigorous activity (running, HIIT, heavy cycling) counts at roughly double the rate — so 30 minutes of vigorous exercise is equivalent to about 60 minutes of moderate activity for the purpose of this slider.

BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)². For example, a person who is 75 kg and 1.75 m tall has a BMI of 75 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) = 24.5.

In imperial: BMI = (weight in lbs × 703) ÷ height in inches². Note that BMI has well-known limitations — it doesn't distinguish muscle from fat and can misclassify people with high muscle mass.

A standard drink contains roughly 14 g of pure alcohol. This is equivalent to: one 12 oz (355 ml) beer at 5% ABV, one 5 oz (148 ml) glass of wine at 12% ABV, or one 1.5 oz (44 ml) shot of spirits at 40% ABV.

Be aware that many craft beers, cocktails, and large wine pours significantly exceed a single standard drink.

The diet quality slider uses a 1–5 Mediterranean-style index. A score of 1 (poor) represents a diet dominated by ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and few vegetables. A score of 5 (excellent) reflects a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts, and olive oil — with minimal ultra-processed food.

The scale is intentionally coarse. If you eat a generally varied whole-food diet but aren't strictly Mediterranean, a score of 3 or 4 is probably right for you.

No. All calculations happen entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your inputs are never sent to any server — not ours, not any analytics platform. Helixspan does not use cookies or any form of user tracking.

Your slider values persist in your browser's localStorage only so the page remembers your last inputs when you refresh. You can clear this at any time via your browser's privacy settings.

Yes — the result card has Share and Print buttons. Sharing copies a plain-text summary to your clipboard. Printing generates a one-page PDF-ready report with your score, inputs, and top recommendations, which you can save to your device or bring to an appointment.

Each factor has a direct year-delta contribution to the total healthspan estimate. Moving a slider adjusts that contribution and recalculates the composite score in real time. The magnitude of change reflects the factor's weight in the model — derived from the size of the effect observed in population studies.

The relative factor weights are shown in the How it works table on the homepage.

No. Helixspan is an educational tool intended for general reflection. It is not a diagnostic instrument, a clinical risk calculator, or a substitute for professional medical advice.

If your score concerns you, or if you have specific health questions, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. Do not use this tool to make decisions about medications, treatments, or clinical care.

The plausible year-ranges for each factor are derived from these published studies, all cited on the homepage:

Overall lifestyle factors: Li et al. (2018), Circulation — five healthy habits added 12–14 years of life expectancy at age 50.

Risk factor burden: GBD 2019 Risk Factor Collaborators, The Lancet — quantifies attributable mortality for 87 risk factors globally.

Exercise dose-response: Ekelund et al. (2019), BMJ — risk reduction begins well below the 150-minute threshold.

Sleep: Cappuccio et al. (2010), Sleep — U-shaped curve with optimum at 7–8 hours per night.

Alcohol: Wood et al. (2018), The Lancet — risk rises meaningfully beyond ~7 drinks per week.

If your score is prompting questions about specific risk factors — your BMI, sleep quality, alcohol use, or exercise levels — those are worth discussing with your doctor. A primary care physician can order relevant tests and give you advice grounded in your full medical history.

Helixspan is a good starting point for a conversation, not a conclusion. The Print button on the result card generates a one-page summary you can bring to an appointment.