How old is your heart? US research finds three out of four people have hearts five years older than their actual age

How old is your heart?

New data released by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP) in the US claims three out of four Americans have hearts that are five years older than their actual age.

The research centre warns despite feeling young at heart many people are ignoring their hearts’ health with potentially dire consequences.

Smoking, blood pressure levels and how much you weigh are all risk factors that contribute to the age of your heart.

Although a US-based survey, the NHS, in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, also offers a tool to help you establish your heart’s age.

Coronary heart disease remains the UK’s single largest killer, causing a death every seven seconds.

The US research, which analysed data from every state and from the Framingham Heart Study, also unearthed regional disparities.

Adults living in the country’s south had notably higher heart ages with Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Kentucky and Alabama topping the list. In comparison, adults from Utah, Colorado, California, Massachusetts and Hawaii had the lowest.

Demographically, black men and women were more likely to have higher heart ages. Black woman had – on average – heart ages five to seven years older than white or Hispanic women, while black men’s hearts were three to four years older than their counterparts.