Running head: REAL AGE HEALTH PROMOTION 1

Real Age Health Promotion

Jeanette Voelker

Ferris State University

REAL AGE HEALTH PROMOTION 2

Abstract

The following pages share the results of the Real Age test taken by my partner, and reflect the

positive and negative choices through her results. According to the results of the test there is a

difference of 2.2 years between her chronological age and her age given per Dr. OZ calculation

(Share care website, Real Age Test, May 27, 2015, p. 1). Several factors were focused on during

the test, which include health, feelings, diet and fitness. Feelings seem to be a strong point in her

life at this time. Her choices appear to be assisting in keeping her age younger than that of her

actual age. On the opposite side of the spectrum, her choices in diet and exercise appear to be

adding years to her age. We will discuss ways for her to continue in making healthy choices

toward her feelings and ways she can improve her health with better choices of diet and

increasing her daily activity and exercise. With a better awareness of her health as a result of

taking this test she states that she has a better idea of the areas that need change. I will work with

her to find ways to discuss attainable goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and

time-bound to assist her in making more positive choices for a healthy life.
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Assessment

The results of my partners real age test showed a 2.2 year gap between her chronological

age and her calculated health age. Her results show several areas of needed improvement, which

include lowering her blood pressure and shedding some extra pounds in the focus area of health.

Her diet lacked several factors that affect her current health; including a healthy breakfast every

morning, eating more whole grains, nuts and vegetables in her diet, decreasing the amount of

junk foods and cutting back of red meats. Her lack of vitamin D and inclusion the five basic

food groups in her diet were all emphasized in her dietary results. Fitness is another area that

showed needed improvement; recommedations included increasing her cardiovascular exercise b

to three and one-half hours per week and adding thirty minutes of muscle building and

strengthening to help in tightening and toning her body. Although there only two areas needing

improvement in the fitness category, these areas make up a large amount of physical

requirements. On a more positive aspect of her test results, the category relating to her feelings

had good results. Most her responses showed that they are making her younger than her

chronological age. The appreciation of her husband and having a happy marriage, enjoying the

sexual aspects of her marriage, staying in touch with friends through social networks and support

groups, keeping a good handle on her stress level, being smart financially, maintaining a sense of

purpose and staying positive are all areas that she seems to be doing very well with. Having

emotional bonds with her family pets is also an area she is staying on track with to assist her in

maintaining a healthy feeling in her life.

As we reviewed her results together we both agreed there were a couple of the focus

areas that stood out to us that seem to be harmful to her health. Diet and fitness are areas that we

decided to look into further to help her improve her health. In order for her to begin making a
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plan for changes in her life we needed to narrow down to a few specific areas. One of her

biggest areas of unhealthy choices is her diet. Making better choices from the different food

groups will assist her in expanding her diet, increasing her vitamin intake, and decrease her need

for some of the unhealthy choices. Although my partner states that most of her junk food

choices come from boredom, she did not realize that the description of junk food is not just the

cookies and chocolate that she loves so much, but the fatty processed foods she adds to her

meals. Her diet also plays a large role in her not being able to shed the extra pounds or maintain

a healthy blood pressure. She informed me that she thought if she could build a healthier menu

to carry her through the week that her need for those junk food choices would decrease. We

discussed how her lack of physical exercise also plays a large role in her health. She stated to me

that there are days that she comes home from work and her routine is to make something quick

and easy to eat and just relax on the sofa. We both agreed that this is a large factor not only in

her diet but also related to her physical needs. She also stated that she knows that she needs to

add more physical activity to her life, but it is difficult for her after working long hours as a nurse

and having a routine that is hard for her to break. After reviewing her results of the Real Age

Test with my partner my assessment is not just associated with and educational piece for her but

also motivational. I feel that with a better knowledge of her diet needs she will be able to set

goals for herself and her family. Having a better sense of health in your life not only decreases

the need for bad choices but also helps you to improve the healthy choices you do have. It

makes you want to eat healthy and become more physically fit.

After reviewing the results, we agreed to her starting a weekly diary of all the foods she

eats throughout the day. Included in the diary we both thought that if she could explain why she

decided to eat this particular food it would help us in determining the cause of her eating,
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whether it was from nutritional need or out of boredom. We also agreed to include any physical

exercise she includes in her day. After one week had passed, we met up and went over her diary,

we both agreed that she does not make healthy choices not only during her daily meals, but also

that she snacks a lot on unhealthy food choices at undesirable times of the day.

Wellness and Diagnosis

Based on the discussions with my partner and the results of her Real Age Test an

appropriate Wellness diagnosis is Readiness for enhanced decision making by choosing healthier

options for food and exercise. She stated that she would like to be able to make healthier food

not only her meals, but also to have healthier food choices for her snacks. She also mentions that

choosing to go for a walk when she feels the need to eat would help her increase her physical

activity. Eating and physical activity patterns that are focused on consuming fewer calories,

making informed food choices, and being physically active can help people attain and maintain a

healthy weight, reduce their risk of chronic disease, and promote overall health (Larsen, 2011, p.

4).

Having the results of her Real Age Test and discussions about her food choices and lack

of physical exercise I believe that another appropriate diagnosis for my partner is Readiness for

enhanced knowledge related to healthy food choices and physical exercise. Knowing where you

as an individual stand in regards to your personal health and fitness opens a persons eye to some

of the changes that need to be made in life. My partner states that having the proper information

on healthier food choices would help her increase her intake of a more balanced diet. Poor diet

and physical inactivity are the most important factors contributing to an epidemic of overweight

and obesity affecting men, women, and children in all segments of our society (Larsen, 2011, p.

4). Having more information on healthy food choices enables individuals to make better
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decisions when choosing foods to eat. Carnegie Mellon University published article that states,

making healthier food more convenient as well as providing nutritional information can help

individuals make better choices (Promoting Healthy Food Choices, 2010, para. 1). Possibly

more information or advertisement on healthy foods and not so much on the unhealthy foods

would help us to improve the health of people within our communities.

Planning and Intervention

While sitting down with my partner and reviewing her Real Age Test results it appeared

to me that she knew that she needed to make changes, but just did not have the support there to

help her. After the week of her making a diary of her food intake and physical activity we sat

down and discussed all of her information. In order to assist her as best I could, together we

made goals for her that were SMART, (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely).

We discussed ways in which she retains information best in order for her to utilize this

information in the future. We came up with some ideas for things that she could keep with her

and review while grocery shopping. One of the things she thought would help her were

examples of items in each of the five food groups along with daily requirements for each. We

took suggestions from her Real Age test results and came up with a shopping list for her to also

use when shopping in order to help her make healthier choices. On this shopping list she will

begin in the produce aisle as suggested, and begin with slowly increasing the amount of veggies

in her diet. We both agreed for her to increase her intake of fruits and vegetables by 1 serving

per day from what she is eating now as well as changing to the majority of the breads eaten to be

whole grain breads. We both felt that trying to conquer too many new tasks in such a short

period has a good chance of her not completing them and not being able to make the necessary
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and needed changes in her health. We agreed that she would complete another diary of the

changes in healthier food intake and as long as she was doing well with her healthy food choices,

we could then add in some physical activity to increase her fitness health. By not pushing too

much onto her at once I feel that she will be successful in these changes for a new and healthy

life.

Transtheoretical Model

In reviewing the information on my partner, including the results of her Real Age Test,

her diary, and some of the notes I took on her during our discussions, I knew she was definitely

in the contemplation stage of the TTM. The contemplation stage is the stage in which people

are intending to change in the next six months. They are aware of the pros of changing but are

also acutely aware of the cons (University of Rhode Island Cancer Prevention Research Center

Home of the Transtheoretical Model, n.d., para. 7). My partner knew she needed the change,

what was at stake for her in making the change and some of the possible consequences if she did

not. Some of these consequences she was beginning to see in her health including the weight

gain and increased high blood pressure. She had tried making changes in the past but was

unsuccessful in these attempts, which we both thought could be attributed to the lack of

knowledge and the amount of pressure placed on herself to complete too many tasks at one time.

Preparation began when she agreed to sit with me and take part in this assignment. She agreed to

take the Real Age Test, once we looked at these results she knew of the changes she needed to

make, and that she needed to commit and stay committed to the changes. We are currently still

in the action stage and plan to meet again after the July 4th holiday to sit down and see how she

did with her new dietary food choices. I am confident that she will do well and will be able to

maintain these new habits. We did discuss in the event she has a minor lapse in judgment and
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fails with her intake that it is all part of the learning process. I did ask her comment on her diary

when she did feel like she just could not complete her new task and we would discuss this at our

next meeting.

Evaluation

After being educated on nutritional intake and recognizing what it does to her

health, and actually seeing the problem in her diaries it helped her want to initiate change.

Her attempts to increase fruits and vegetables was unsuccessful due to financial reasons,

but it was a good for her to see the changes needed and attempt to make small increases.

She also thought of other options for herself to aide with her finances. She decided to plant

a garden and attempt it due to grow some of her own fruits and vegetables in the future. I

feel after she learned of this new information, it helped her to see some of the needed

changes her life. She is more aware of some of her barriers, but has made some great

alternatives to help improve her health. Although she has not been able to completely add

the required amounts of fruits and vegetables, she has set some good goals of growing her

own garden to help her. I feel that she is making great efforts in changing her diet,and is

more aware of healthier choices. She not only is attempting healthier eating, but trying to

increase her physical activity as well. She has increased he physical activity by walking at

night with her family and cutting out some television time. I feel that although she has not

completely met her SMART goals she has the information and the drive for a change in her

health choices.
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References

Larsen, L. (2011). Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In Diet and Nutrition Sourcebook (4th ed.,

pp. 4-8). Retrieved from

Promoting Healthy Food Choices. (2010). http://0-

go.galegroup.com.libcat.ferris.edu/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CA231609434&v=2.1&u=lom

_ferrissu&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w#

Share care website, Real Age Test. (May 27, 2015).

www.sharecare.com/assessments/realagetest.com

University of Rhode Island Cancer Prevention Research Center Home of the Transtheoretical

Model. (n.d.). http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/