How Healthy Are You? Take The Quiz And See
Posted May 7, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
What’s wrong with you?
No, it’s not a personal question but it is something that experts are thinking about in a comprehensive look at the overall health of Canadians.
According to the new issue of Maclean’s Magazine, dedicated to looking at our vigour – or lack of it – there are some common complaints most people in the Great White North say they share. The results come from a survey called the Q-GAP test, a simple 15 minute online survey designed to measure your physical and mental well being.
The test asks for your age and gender but filling in other identifying characteristics – including your name – is entirely voluntary. You’ll be asked a series of questions about your health from head to toe, ranging from whether you suffer from migraines or have bad breath to how often you experience indigestion.
You can then rate the symptoms on a severity scale, depending on how serious the problems are for you.
So what are the top 10 health concerns Canadians share?
1) Bloating and gas
2) Fatigue
3) Difficulty losing weight
4) Low stamina
5) Insufficient sleep
6) Cravings
7) Congestion
8) Headaches
9) Muscles Aches and joint pain
10) Dry itchy skin
Some survey participants also mentioned low libido, just one of many symptoms that experts attribute to the pressures of work and family life. Your genes also play a role – an estimated 25 per cent chance in determining how long you’ll live – and while there’s not much you can do to alter that, exercise, diet and lifestyle changes can even up your odds of living longer and staying healthy.
And frankly, if acne is your main concern over say, chest pains or cancer, you’re really not doing too badly.
The survey also shows an interesting difference between men and women. The major complaint for both sexes 25 years of age or younger was cited as ‘psychosocial’ issues, such as frustrations at home or unhappiness at work.
By the time they reach age 66-75, the problems are widely divergent. For older women, musculoskeletal troubles soar off the scale. Men that age see a huge increase in urological problems.
But no matter what your age, there’s good reason to take a closer look at the results.
“Every Canadian is concerned about how they’re doing,” explains Maclean’s writer Cathy Gulli. “They want to know that they’re fit, that they’re going to live a long and healthy life.”
The problem is that too many seem to have the wrong idea about what constitutes “good health.”
“Unfortunately, health today is defined by the absence of illness,” chides Dr. Elaine Chin, the director of the Scienta Clinic. “But we believe that we should look beyond that.” Chin helped devise the Maclean’s questionnaire.
“You’ll get a great perspective of your general health, you’ll find out how you’re doing in a number of different areas,” assures Gulli.
Want to see where you measure up? Take the test here.
And read more about the survey and the health of Canadians here.
