TEST YOURSELF

Gauge your body’s true age with these simple expert-approved tests TEST YOUR LOWER BODY STRENGTH Measure leg strength and balance by getting up unaided from a chair then sitting down again as many times as you can in 30 seconds. “A fit 40-something should be able to do this 17 times,” says physiotherapist Sammy Margo. TEST YOUR HEART HEALTH Try to run or fast walk a mile (1.6km) in nine minutes. If you struggle to go the distance in under 12 minutes, research suggests that your risk of heart disease is 30 per cent higher. Don’t despair – just keep at it at least once a week until your time improves. TEST YOUR BALANCE AND MOBILITY Being careful not to hurt yourself, lower yourself from standing to sitting crosslegged on the floor. Then get back up. If you start with 10 points (five for sitting and five for standing back up), take away a point every time you use a hand or knee for support and ½ a point every time you wobble. This common test is often used by doctors to check mobility and fitness in older people.