A recent study has shed light on an innovative method to measure how old a heart "truly" is—a development that could transform how we assess and prevent heart disease. By using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have developed a model to determine the functional age of the heart and found that unhealthy lifestyle choices and chronic conditions such as obesity and atrial fibrillation (AFib) significantly accelerate heart aging.

Published in the European Heart Journal Open, the study analyzed heart scans from over 550 individuals across five sites in three countries. Participants included a control group of healthy individuals and groups with common comorbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. The findings revealed stark differences in heart structure and function between the healthy and unhealthy groups.

Unhealthy Lifestyle, Older Heart

According to the study, individuals with health conditions such as AFib or obesity had heart ages far exceeding their actual ages. Obese individuals, especially those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, had hearts that appeared up to 45 years older than their chronological age.

“We’ve discovered an equation—a simple math formula—that uses heart MRI scans to determine how old your heart looks,” said study author Dr. Pankaj Garg, Associate Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of East Anglia, UK. “For healthy individuals, the heart age matches the real age. But in people with high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal heart rhythms, or excess weight, their hearts can look significantly older—on average about 4.6 years older.”

This so-called "functional heart age" could become a game-changer in personalized cardiac care. By comparing it with a person’s actual age, doctors can detect early signs of cardiovascular decline and recommend timely interventions.

Left Atrium Metrics Key to Age Model

The model primarily relied on two indicators: left atrial end-systolic volume and left atrial ejection fraction—key measures of the heart’s upper-left chamber function. These metrics were closely linked to age-related heart changes and helped the team create a reliable method to estimate heart age from MRI scans.

Distinct structural differences were found in unhealthy hearts, including a higher median stroke volume—the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat—indicating altered cardiac function.

Interestingly, the study found that among older individuals (aged 70–85), those with diabetes and high blood pressure had heart ages younger than healthy peers. Researchers attributed this anomaly to possible survival bias or the effects of ongoing medical treatment.

Limitations and Next Steps

Despite promising results, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. The study was retrospective and observational in nature, meaning it could only infer associations—not causation. The data also lacked information on how long participants had lived with their conditions, and lifestyle factors like diet and exercise were not assessed.

Dr. Patrick Kee, a cardiologist at Vital Heart & Vein who was not involved in the study, emphasized the need for further validation. “The model was validated on a small cohort, and larger-scale studies are necessary to confirm its clinical usefulness,” he said. “It also remains unclear whether interventions like medication or lifestyle changes can reverse or slow heart aging.”

Tool for Prevention, Motivation

Still, experts say the technique shows great promise. Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, an interventional cardiologist at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in California, called the tool “potentially very helpful” for early detection and preventive care.

“An assessment of functional heart age can help identify at-risk individuals, motivate healthier lifestyles, and guide therapeutic responses,” Dr. Chen noted. “It's also a noninvasive procedure, which makes it feasible for wide-scale screening.”

Dr. Garg echoed this sentiment: “Heart MRI scans are noninvasive and require only a few minutes. If done in a focused manner, this test could help identify heart issues early and potentially prevent more serious outcomes like heart failure.”

A Simple Message with Life-Saving Potential

Ultimately, researchers and clinicians believe that comparing a person’s heart age to their real age can be a powerful way to communicate cardiovascular risk.

“As a motivational tool, it’s tangible and easy to grasp,” said Dr. Kee. “Seeing a heart age that’s older than one’s real age may encourage patients to take their health more seriously—whether that’s managing blood pressure, improving diet, or exercising more regularly.”

This novel approach, if validated in larger studies, could represent a major shift in how we assess and act upon cardiovascular risk—offering an early warning system for one of the world’s leading causes of death.