Scorecard

Health Risk Score Card

What your score means:

0-12 You have a lot of health behaviors that are dangerous. IF you continue them, they can lead to serious diseases, such as heart and lung disease, high blood pressure and stroke. If you can add four points to your score within a month, and three more within six months, you can begin to lower your risks. You can also add greatly to the chances of feeling good, having lots of energy and enjoying life to its fullest.

13-23 Most people in the U.S. probably fall into this range. You do not risk the same degree of danger as people in the category 0-8, but maintaining these patterns will keep you in the large group of Americans who have fair chances of developing heart and lung disease, high blood pressure, alcoholism, and strokes. If you are in this category, you may feel and look good, but you could feel and look a lot better if you added six points to your score. If you are at the bottom of this group, you could move to the top. If you are at the top, think about changing some of your behaviors so you can move to the next category.

24-29 You are doing a lot of things right! Many of your health habits put you at far less risk of serious disease than most Americans. People in this category feel good much of the time, look alert, and vibrant and have plenty of energy. If you are in this category, you have probably made some smart decisions about how you want to lead your life and you're pretty successful at carrying them out.

30-32 It is hard to find many people in this category. You are at very low risk for serious chronic diseases associated with poor health habits. If you are in the category, you have made a huge effort to choose a lifestyle quite different from that of many Americans and you probably have a lot of support from your family or from a group of friends who have made some of the same choices. If you maintain these patterns, you will be a healthy adult and a model for your own children, if you choose to become a parent.