PUBLIC Health England is calling for adults in the South East to take a free, online Heart Age Test, which will provide an immediate estimation of their ‘heart age’. If someone’s heart age is higher than their actual age, they are at an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), with stroke and heart attack being the most common examples, is the leading cause of death for men and the second leading cause of death for women. In the South East, there are around 8,102 deaths from heart disease and 5,003 deaths from stroke each year.

It is estimated that around a quarter of these deaths are in people under the age of 75 and 80 per cent of those are preventable if people made lifestyle and behaviour changes to improve their heart health.

Knowing their heart age helps people to find out whether they are at risk and consider what they can do to reduce this risk.

Anyone can take a free Heart Age Test online at www.nhs.uk/oneyou/hat.