Biological age

Since time and health are among our most scarce and valuable assets, it is no surprise that metrics such as biological age can serve as a powerful motivator for behaviour change [1], [2], [3]. Numerous methods have been described for determining 'biological age', ranging from expensive epigenetic tests to simpler estimation approaches. However, the accuracy of these calculations remains a subject of debate [4].

Because we use biological age primarily as a motivational tool for lifestyle change, Synapse has opted for a low-barrier approach based on the methodology behind the Heart Age Calculator [5]. Multiple risk factors are quantified and weighted, allowing a patient to 'gain or lose years'. Someone with a healthy lifestyle and favourable cardiometabolic values will therefore appear biologically younger than someone with unhealthy habits and abnormal biomarkers.

Developed and reviewed with the Synapse medical advisory board.

References

  1. [1]Bonner, C. et al. Experiences of a national web-based heart age calculator for cardiovascular disease prevention: User characteristics, heart age results, and behavior change survey. J Med Internet Res 22, (2020).
  2. [2]Bonner, C., Batcup, C., Fajardo, M. & Trevena, L. Biological age calculators to motivate lifestyle change: Environmental scan of online tools and evaluation of behaviour change techniques. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 34, 202–210 (2023).
  3. [3]Husted, K. L. S., Dandanell, S., Petersen, J., Dela, F. & Helge, J. W. The effectiveness of body age-based intervention in workplace health promotion: Results of a cohort study on 9851 Danish employees. PLoS One 15, (2020).
  4. [4]Teschendorff, A. E. & Horvath, S. Epigenetic ageing clocks: statistical methods and emerging computational challenges. Nat Rev Genet (2025) doi.org/10.1038/s41576-024-00807-w
  5. [5]Australian Heart Foundation. Heart Age Calculator. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-age-calculator