Table 3.
Recommendation messages according to the risk score obtained for each dimension of the components of the reduced/rapid version of the lifestyle assessment toolkit.
| Risk score | Recommendation message | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Anthropometric measurements and cardiometabolic parameters | ||
| BMI/WC | Low | BMI from 18.5 to 24.99 kg/m2|WC <94 cm for men or <80 cm for women: Your weight is within normal range for your height, as it is your WC. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and moderate and regular physical activity, and watch for any changes in your BMI |
| Moderate | BMI <18.50 kg/m2 For your height your weight is below normal. BMI values below those recommended may be associated with risk situations that must be followed up. We advise evaluation by doctor/nutritionist BMI from 25 to 29.99 kg/m2|WC from 94 to 102 cm for men or from 80 to 88 cm for women: For your height your weight is slightly increased. Being overweight is a risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. We recommend reviewing your lifestyle, including promoting a balanced diet and moderate and regular physical activity |
|
| Relevant | BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2|WC > 102 cm for men and >88 cm for women: For your height your weight is clearly increased. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! We advise you to change your lifestyle, including promoting a balanced and healthier diet and moderate and regular physical activity. We suggest advice and follow-up by a doctor/nutritionist |
|
| Blood pressure | Low | SBP <130 mmHg and DBP <85 mmHg: Your blood pressure is normal. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and moderate and regular physical activity. In particular, do not overeat, eat fruits and vegetables, do not drink too much alcohol, and keep your weight under control |
| Moderate | SBP ≥ 130 and <140 mmHg; DBP ≥ 85 and <90 mmHg: Your blood pressure is at the upper limit of normal. High blood pressure values are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We recommend reviewing your eating habits and physical activity. In particular, reduce salt intake, regularly eat fruits and vegetables, do not drink alcoholic beverages in excess and keep weight controlled |
|
| Relevant | SBP ≥ 140 mmHg and DBP ≥ 90 mmHg: Your blood pressure is high. High blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! We advise you to change your lifestyle, including promoting a balanced and healthier diet and moderate and regular physical activity. In particular, reduce salt intake, regularly eat fruits and vegetables, do not drink alcoholic beverages in excess, keep weight controlled. We suggest advice and medical follow-up |
|
| Glycemia | Low | Glycemia <110 mg/dl: Your blood glucose is normal. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and moderate and regular physical activity. In particular, do not consume excess sugar and sweets, and keep your weight under control |
| Moderate | Glycemia ≥ 110 and <126 mg/dl: Your blood glucose is slightly increased. Elevated blood glucose values are a risk factor for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We recommend reviewing your eating habits and physical activity. In particular, do not consume excess sugar and sweets, and keep your weight under control |
|
| Relevant | Glycemia ≥ 126 mg/dl: Your blood sugar is high. Diabetes is associated with the development of various vascular diseases and complications with serious implications in your life. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! We advise you to change your lifestyle, including promoting a balanced and healthier diet and moderate and regular physical activity. We suggest advice and follow-up by a doctor |
|
| Total Cholesterol | Low | Cholesterol <190 mg/dl (in those who have no history of cardiovascular disease): Your cholesterol values are normal. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and moderate and regular physical activity |
| Moderate | Cholesterol ≥ 190 and <240 mg/dl: Your cholesterol values are increased. High cholesterol values are a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. We recommend reviewing your eating habits and physical activity. In particular, restrict the consumption of foods high in cholesterol and animal fats, and keep weight controlled |
|
| Relevant | Cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dl: Your cholesterol values are greatly increased. Hypercholesterolemia is associated with a high risk of development of several diseases and vascular complications with serious implications in their life. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! We advise you to change your lifestyle, including promoting a balanced and healthier diet and moderate and regular physical activity. In particular, restrict the consumption of foods high in cholesterol and animal fats, and keep weight controlled. We suggest advice and follow-up by a doctor |
|
| 2. Physical activity and exercise | ||
| Low | Your level of physical activity is above the population average. Maintain your good daily habits in order to continue increasing the number of benefits that contribute to your general level of life quality, while decreasing, at the same time, the risk of cardiovascular disease and limitations in daily functionality. If you still do not, try to challenge yourself and increase the intensity of your physical activities, such as workouts with greater cardiovascular responses, whenever possible | |
| Moderate | Your level of physical activity is considered moderate. Although you're being able to maintain a reasonable level of physical activity habits, you may seek to increase them in intensity or duration by performing cardiovascular exercises with greater intensity and/or by increasing the daily time spent on light activities such as walking. In this way you will increase your general level of life quality, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and limitations in daily functionality | |
| Relevant | Your level of physical activity is below the mark that is advised for general population, being considered a risk zone. Try to accumulate a minimum of 30 min of moderate physical activity a day, or participate in more demanding cardiovascular exercises at least 3 times a week, seeking to meet daily habits that will contribute to increase your general level of life quality and to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and limitations in daily functionality. We advise evaluation by a specialized professional | |
| 3. Well-being, social cohesion, and functional independence | ||
| Low | Your level of well-being/quality of life is above average. Continue to value what you have in your life, to live and make friends, to join new activities and to maintain their independence and autonomy | |
| Moderate | Your level of well-being/quality of life is considered reasonable. Although you succeeded in living a satisfactory life, you will benefit by increasing your social and family interaction, by paying more attention to the way you think and carry out more activities that promote your happiness and sense of life and that preserve your independence and more autonomy. | |
| Relevant | Your level of well-being/quality of life inspires concern. Try to value yourself more and the things you have in your life, give more time to your family and friends. Make more friends. Start new activities that interest you and help you make more sense in your life. Preserve your autonomy and independence. We advise evaluation by a specialized professional | |
| 4. Nutrition | ||
| Low | Your eating habits are healthy. Maintain a varied diet based on vegetables and fruits, using daily food from all groups. Avoid fried and salted as well as alcoholic beverages. These habits will allow you to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and maintain the quality of life | |
| Moderate | Your eating habits need little adjustment or are not wholesome. Try to make a more varied diet and increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits, without excess of food of animal origin, although using daily foods of all groups. Avoid fried and salted as well as alcoholic beverages. These habits will allow you to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and maintain a good quality of life | |
| Relevant | Your eating habits have enough deficiencies compared to the recommended for the healthy population. Try to make a more varied diet and increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits, without excess of food of animal origin, although using daily foods of all groups. Avoid fried and salted as well as alcoholic beverages. These habits will allow you to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and maintain a good quality of life. We advise evaluation by doctor/nutritionist | |
| 5. Mental health | ||
| Low | Your mental health level is satisfactory. Stay active, exercise your brain and enjoy your abilities | |
| Relevant | Your level of mental health inspires concern. Day-to-day life can generate some difficulties, which can have a very negative impact on your emotional well-being, the health of your brain and, as a consequence, of your whole body. Try to find leisure moments, fight the sedentary lifestyle and keep the brain busy with challenging activities, exercising it as if it were a muscle. We advise specialized medical evaluation | |
| 6. Smoking, drinking, and illicit substances use | ||
| Smoking | Low | Smokers (even if in the recent past) are exposed to high and unnecessary risk of developing various diseases, including cardiovascular, respiratory and oncological diseases, among others. For your health, maintain your non-smoker status |
| Moderate | Being a regular ex-smoker only a few years (<10 years) means that you can maintain some increased risk of developing various diseases compared to a non-smoker of the same age. It is therefore vital that you remain a non-smoker to further reduce the risk | |
| Relevant | The fact that you are a regular smoker (or former regular smoker who has stopped for <1 year) means that you have a risk of developing a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular, respiratory and oncology, among others, compared to a non-smoker of the same age. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! Quit smoking. We suggest advice and specialized medical follow-up | |
| Drinking | Low | Consumption of non-distilled alcoholic beverages (such as wine and beer), if done moderately, is not in itself an added risk factor for disease development. Keep yourself as an occasional consumer, not exceeding what is considered moderate, and watch for other important risk factors as well. Pay attention to your doctor's recommendations about alcohol consumption in drug interactions or disease-related complications |
| Moderate | Being a regular consumer of alcoholic beverages (or former regular consumer) means that you may have an increased risk of developing various diseases compared to an occasional and moderate consumer of similar age. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! If necessary, look for advice and support | |
| Illicit substances | Low risk | Keep yourself in this condition as a non-consumer of illicit substances, whose regular consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing various diseases, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric |
| Relevant | Being a regular consumer of illicit substances (or a former regular consumer) means that you may have an increased risk of developing various diseases compared to a non-consumer of comparable age. The regular consumption of these substances is associated with an increased risk of development of several diseases, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! Seek expert advice and support | |
| 7. Sleep habits and quality | ||
| Low | A sleep that allows you to sleep well, for a recommended number of hours, without taking medication, and wake up without fatigue, reduces your risk of developing various diseases associated with “bad” sleep, including cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory, among others. Maintain this condition and watch for other important risk factors | |
| Moderate | Apparently your sleep is not ideal, either because it does not allow you to sleep well and wake up without fatigue, either because you sleep a few hours, or even because you need sleeping pills. This situation is somewhat worrisome, as it may not be adequately resting, but may have an increased risk of development of various diseases associated with “bad” sleep, including cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory, among others. Thus, it is vital that you take the appropriate steps to achieve better sleep. If necessary, consult a qualified professional | |
| Relevant | Your sleep is far from ideal. He does not sleep well or sleep very little, and he wakes up tired, or can only sleep well on regular medication. This situation is of concern since, in addition to not resting properly, it may have an increased risk of developing several diseases associated with “bad” sleep, including cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory, among others. It's time to do something to reverse this condition! We suggest advice and specialized medical follow-up | |
| 8. Health and disease | ||
| Low | To maintain a good level of health and well-being it is important to preserve a healthy lifestyle based on a balanced diet, regular physical and mental activity and strengthening of social relations, thus maintaining your self-confidence, independence and autonomy | |
| Moderate | Do not neglect your health and well-being by promoting a healthy lifestyle based on a balanced diet, regular physical and mental activity, and strengthening social relationships. Be aware of possible imbalances related to your clinical situation and/or arising from polymedication | |
| Relevant | It is very important to be alert to signs of discomfort. Review, and correct if necessary, your eating habits, practice of physical activity, and sociability. Be very aware of possible imbalances related to taking various medications (polymedication) and consult a doctor regularly to promote any rectifications as necessary | |