Scientists have developed the Ubble Test – a UK longevity explorer – that tells people if they are likely to die over the next five years. Their “Ubble Age” shows whether their health is in accordance to their real age and their risk of early death is low. If it is higher, researchers suggest making changes in their lives, such as quitting smoking and improving their diet.
The website is based on the findings of scientific research carried out by Andrea Ganna of the karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University and Erik Ingelsson of Uppsala University. This research project used data from the UK Biobank: a large-scale national health resource which aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of many serious diseases. Between 2006 and 2010, the UK Biobank team collected a large number of measurements (variables) from over half a million UK volunteers aged 40-70. These measurements included taking blood samples, physical and biological measurements from volunteers as well as carrying out detailed questionnaires. The large-scale nature of UK Biobank makes it a unique and valuable data resource, which is available to researchers worldwide after an approved application.
Ganna says: “The fact that the score can be measured online in a brief questionnaire, without any need for lab tests or physical examination, is an exciting development. We hope that our score might eventually enable doctors to quickly and easily identify their highest risk patients, although more research will be needed to determine whether it can be used in this way in a clinical setting,”
