There is plenty of evidence that physical activity — or, rather, lack thereof — plays a considerable role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Getting fit may require extra effort since so many of today's jobs involve sitting for long periods of time. Evenings in front of the television being so common is not helpful either. Just how active is your lifestyle? For the benefit of your heart and arteries, should you be doing more? Answer the questions below and record your score.
Rate your risk of heart disease: daily activity quiz
1. Which activities do you do regularly (at least once a week)?
- Go to the gym, run, cycle or play a sport: 15
- Enjoy a leisurely walk in the park: 10
- Run up the stairs instead of taking the elevator: 5
- Reach for the remote control: 0
2. If you work, how much activity do you do in the course of a working day?
- Walk to the photocopier or coffee machine a few times: 0
- Make the effort to walk at least part of the way to work, or run upstairs a couple of times during the day: 5
- At least a third of my working time is spent moving around: 10
- I do manual work, so am constantly moving: 15
3. On average, how many hours a day do you spend standing, walking or otherwise moving (not sitting or lying down)?
- Six or more: 15
- Three to five: 5
- Fewer than three: 0
4. Score five points for each hour of the following activities you do during an average week:
- Housework: __
- Gardening: __
- DIY projects, such as home repair: __
- Walking the dog: __
- Washing the car: __
5. On average, how much exercise do you get each week that makes you out of breath?
- At least 30 minutes, five days a week 15
- Two hours or less in total 5
- None 0
6. How many hours a week do you spend watching television?
- 15 or more: 0
- Five to 14: 5
- Fewer than five: 15
7. Can you climb two standard flights of stairs without getting out of breath?
- Yes, I can even running: 15
- Yes, at a walking pace: 10
- No: 0
8. Would people describe you as fidgety?
- Yes: 10
- No: 0
9. Your ideal day off would be spent doing which of the following?
- Lying in front of the television and raiding the fridge occasionally: 0
- Relaxing with a good book and spending time with your family: 5
- Taking a walk in the park and meeting friends for lunch: 10
- Sailing, hiking, fencing or a similar activity (one that requires energy): 15
10. Would you run to catch a bus or train that was about to leave, rather than wait for the next one?
- Yes: 10
- No: 0
Your risk assessment
Add up your total score.
- If you scored 100 or more, you are low risk.
- If you scored 50–99, you are at a moderate risk level.
- If you scored 49 or less, you are at an increased risk level.
Putting your life under the microscope helps you uncover a rich seam of information — not only about your health, but also about your personality, feelings and behaviour. The more frequently you scored moderate or high in the risk assessments, the more necessary it is to take action now and lower your risk.
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