A major new study has found that the majority of American adults possess “hearts” that are biologically older than their chronological age, according to a cutting-edge risk calculator unveiled this week. The startling finding, published as a research letter in JAMA Cardiology and widely covered by US media, underscores the widening gap between biological and calendar aging—a gap that holds important lessons for Thailand, where heart disease remains a leading cause of death.
The concept of “heart age”—the idea that one’s cardiovascular system can be older or younger than their years—has gained traction globally, building on advances that allow scientists to measure not just telomeres or DNA, but well-established clinical factors. The newly launched calculator, developed using the PREVENT model that draws on contemporary, diverse population data, estimates heart age during a primary care visit using variables such as age, sex, cholesterol, blood pressure, kidney function, diabetes, smoking status, and use of key medications (STAT News, MSN).
In a sample of 14,000 American adults aged 30 to 79, the tool revealed that more than half had heart ages exceeding their actual years, highlighting the stealthy toll of high blood pressure, cholesterol, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and social disparities. For men, the average heart age was 56.7, compared to a chronological age of 49.7—a gap of seven years. For women, the heart age averaged 55.4 versus an actual age of 51.3, a four-year difference.
The disparities revealed by the research are even starker upon closer inspection. Individuals with a high school education or less saw their heart age leap by a decade. Black men’s heart age was on average 8.5 years older than their biological age; Hispanic men’s, 7.9 years; Asian men’s, 6.7 years; and White men’s, 6.4 years. A similar, if somewhat smaller, pattern was evident among women, with those identifying as Black showing a 6.2-year gap and those identifying as Hispanic, Asian, and White facing gaps of 4.8, 2.8, and 3.7 years, respectively.
Experts say the intuitive nature of “heart age” makes it a potentially valuable tool for motivating individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. “Things like heart age can provide motivation for diet and exercise changes, potentially smoking cessation, in addition to adherence to medication if it’s indicated,” explained a co-author and preventive cardiologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, as quoted in the STAT article. Importantly, she emphasized that the tool’s real power lies in fostering conversations between patients and clinicians about risk—conversations that could ultimately save lives.
A primary care physician at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, not involved in the study, also noted, “We’ve developed many ways to communicate cardiovascular risk in the past, and sometimes patients don’t find those as clear as we would hope. Making risk feel more personally meaningful is critical.” This is a common concern among Thai health professionals as well, who frequently encounter patients unable to grasp the long-term consequences of hypertension or diabetes.
However, the tool’s developers and accompanying editorial writers warn that not everyone will react positively to learning they have the heart of someone a decade older. As physicians from Johns Hopkins University and Duke University wrote, “While a higher biological age may motivate some individuals to adopt healthier behaviors, others may find such information demoralizing or overwhelming, especially those with fewer resources or competing life demands. Public health messaging and clinician communication should be sensitive to these dynamics, ensuring that risk age is framed not as a verdict, but as an opportunity for change, supported by accessible interventions.”
The implications of these findings are particularly relevant for Thailand, where heart disease is the second leading cause of death, after cancer, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Thai MOPH, 2024). Many risk factors observed in the US—such as poor diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, and diabetes—are on the rise in Thailand, especially as the country’s economy and urbanization grow (WHO Thailand]. Studies have shown that the prevalence of hypertension among Thai adults has nearly doubled over the past two decades ({Thai MOPH, 2024}).
Moreover, the “heart age” calculator’s emphasis on education and socioeconomic status rings true for Thailand’s own health challenges. Populations outside Greater Bangkok and those with lower educational attainment often face higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors—paralleling the American trends uncovered by the new research.
While Thailand has existing tools to estimate cardiovascular risk, such as the Framingham Risk Score, these tend to be less widely understood among the public. Importing or adapting a simple heart age calculator, as proposed by US cardiologists, could help bridge this gap, making risks more tangible to ordinary Thais and motivating action, from quitting smoking to taking blood pressure medication.
This issue is not just clinical, but cultural and historical. In Thailand, traditional diets once shielded many from high cholesterol and obesity-related heart risks, but recent decades have seen a shift toward processed foods, sugary beverages, and a more sedentary lifestyle, especially among young people and middle-aged urban workers (Bangkok Post). These lifestyle changes are mirrored in the United States and other parts of the world, making “heart age” a universally resonant wakeup call.
Yet, as Thai health leaders pursue “universal health coverage” and invest in public health infrastructure, barriers remain—notably inequality in access to high-quality food, safe places for physical activity, and health literacy campaigns that reach both urban and rural communities. The American research points to a clear need for tailored, supportive messaging that avoids shame, stigma, or fatalism, and instead frames heart age as a tool for empowerment.
Internationally, the heart age concept is also being refined. Prior efforts, such as the Framingham-based risk calculator developed in 2008, set the stage for this new PREVENT-based approach, which includes wider demographic and clinical diversity and may offer greater relevance for Asian populations (Framingham Heart Study). The PREVENT model’s use of up-to-date epidemiological data could also make it a good candidate for local adaptation by Thai health authorities and researchers.
Moving forward, one challenge is ensuring that “heart age” doesn’t simply become another number to ignore, but a tool integrated into doctor-patient conversations and public health campaigns. Experts in Thailand have repeatedly pointed to the need for risk communication methods that are simple, relatable, and motivating for all segments of society—including factory workers, northern farmers, and urban office employees balancing family demands.
For individual Thais, there are concrete, evidence-based ways to lower one’s heart age: eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid excessive salt and sugar, quit smoking, limit processed foods, exercise regularly, and have blood pressure and cholesterol checked at least once a year (Thai Heart Association). For health policymakers, the lesson is to invest in culturally tailored health communication that leverages both modern clinics and the traditional wisdom present in Thai communities.
As Thailand continues to age demographically and heart disease rises among both the elderly and working-age adults, tools such as the heart age calculator—if understood not as a verdict, but a call to action—hold promise. By ensuring that such risk messages are accompanied by accessible resources, support networks, and community-based interventions, Thailand can chart a course toward healthier, longer lives for all.
For readers wishing to take personal steps, start by consulting community health clinics for a blood pressure and cholesterol check, use available “heart age” tools online (when adapted for Asian populations), and share your results with a primary care provider or local health volunteer. Remember: your heart’s clock can lose or gain years based on the choices you make today. For Thailand’s future, every beat counts.
Sources: STAT News, MSN, Thai Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok Post, Framingham Heart Study, WHO Thailand, Thai Heart Association