Quiz: How healthy are you?

Source: Best Health Magazine, Spring 2008

Choose the appropriate answers’you may need to consult your medical records with your doctor’and determine your health score by tallying the letter that corresponds to your selected answer.

1. What’s your blood pressure?

120-139/80 or under (A)
140-159/85 (B)
160-170/90 (C)
180/90 or over (D)

2. What’s your total cholesterol?

4.2 to 5.2 mmol/L (A)
5.3 to 5.7 mmol/L (B)
5.8 to 6.2 mmol/L (C)
6.3 mmol/L or over (D)

3. What’s your HDL (good cholesterol)?

1.2 mmol/L or over (A)
0.9 to 1.1 mmol/L (B)
Under 0.9 mmol/L (D)

4. Have you had any of the following diseases?

Gingivitis or periodontitis (B)
Diabetes (C)
Heart disease (C)
Osteoporosis (C)
Diabetes with poor control (D)
Heart disease with heart attack (D)
Cancer (D)
Stroke (D)

5. Do you have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer or osteoporosis?

None of the above (A)
1 of the above (B)
2 or 3 of the above (C)
4 or more of the above (D)

6. How much weight have you gained since you were 18?

Less than 15 pounds (A)
16 to 25 pounds (B)
26 to 40 pounds (C)
More than 40 pounds (D)

7. Do you smoke?

No, or ex-smoker for 5 or more years (A)
No, but exposed to passive smoke for an hour or more a day (C)
Yes (D)

8. Do you drink alcohol?

No, or up to 1 drink (women) or 2 drinks (men) a day (A)
Yes, more than 2 drinks a day (D)

9. Do you use recreational drugs?

Marijuana, occasionally (B)
Marijuana, frequently (C)
Cocaine or other hard drugs (D)

10. What are your driving habits?

Always drive at or under the speed limit (A)
Often drive up to 25 kilometres above the speed limit (B)
Don’t wear a seat belt (C)
Use a cellphone while driving (C)
Often drive over 25 kilometres above the speed limit (D)
Drive after drinking alcohol (D)

11. How often do you exercise?

5 or more times a week (for 30 minutes or more) (A)
3 to 4 times a week (B)
1 to 2 times a week (C)
Never (D)

12. How many of these food groups do you include in your daily diet?

• Whole grains (cereal, bread, pasta, rice)
• Fruits
• Meats/poultry/fish/beans andpeas/nuts
• Vegetables
• Dairy products

4 or more groups a day (A)
3 groups a day (B)
2 groups a day (C)
Fewer than 2 groups a day (D)

13. How often do you eat a healthy breakfast?

5 or more days a week (A)
3 or 4 days a week (C)
2 or fewer days a week (D)

14. How many fruits and vegetables do you eat?

5 or more servings a day (A)
3 to 4 servings a day (C)
2 or fewer servings a day (D)

15. How often do you eat red meat?

Once a week or less (A)
2 to 5 times a week (B)
6 to 7 times a week (C)
More than 7 times a week (D)

16. How often do you eat fish?

2 or more times a week (A)
Once a week (B)
Once every 2 weeks or less (D)

17. Do you have a healthy emotional and social life?

You see friends or social groups 3 or more times a month (A)
You feel you have a good sense of humour (A)
You see friends or social groups 1 or 2 times a month (B)
You tend to take things too seriously and worry a lot (C)
You’re frequently depressed (D)
You see friends or social groups less than once a month (D)

18. What’s your stress level?

You’re not under any significant stress (A)
You have financial worries or other similar chronic stress (C)
You’ve had a major stressful event in your life (job loss, death in the
family, divorce, relocation or major illness) in the past year (D)

19. What’s your marital status?

Married, common law (A)
Single, divorced or widowed (C)

How do you rank?

Mostly As: Congratulations! You’re at lower risk for health problems than most people, so you have a head start on a healthier, longer life.

Mostly Bs: Pat yourself on the back for doing better than many people, but you could fall back if you’re not proactive about your health.

Mostly Cs: You could easily develop problems if you don’t take steps to improve your health.

Mostly Ds: You’re at high risk for health problems, so you’d better get moving.

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