How many healthy years do I have left? This thought-provoking question gains urgency in light of recent statistics revealing rising obesity rates and an increase in long-term illnesses across the UK.

Currently, almost two-thirds of adults in England are classified as overweight or obese. Additionally, about one in four individuals is living with a long-term health condition, a figure that has been steadily climbing over the past ten years.

While life expectancy has seen a remarkable increase over the past century, a longer life doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthier one. Experts suggest shifting our focus to healthy life expectancy, which measures the average number of years a person can anticipate living in good health, free from the chronic illnesses that often accompany aging.

Calculating this might seem like a daunting task. However, scientists claim to have devised a formula that can accurately predict healthy life expectancy, pinpointing it down to the precise year.

Working that out might sound like a guessing game.

But scientists now say they have developed an equation that can accurately predict healthy life expectancy – right down to the year.

And all it requires is your sex, age and postcode.

The Daily Mail has replicated this equation in our own calculator below. Enter your postcode to find out how many healthy years you might have ahead of you.

Life expectancy has risen dramatically over the past century. But living longer does not necessarily mean living well

So how it healthy life expectancy worked out? Experts say one of the strongest predictors of healthy life expectancy is where you live.

Lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise and diet all play a role. But other influences – including sex, ethnicity, disability, homelessness and social isolation – are largely beyond individual control.

These disadvantages can be offset to some extent by the level of social care and support provided by local councils, meaning people in more affluent areas are likely to enjoy longer lives in good health than those living in areas with fewer resources.

As a result, some of the least healthy parts of the UK are also among the most deprived.

Last summer, stark new data revealed that people living in the poorest parts of England can expect to spend up to two decades longer in poor health than those in the most affluent areas.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that women in the most deprived areas of England typically enjoy just 50.5 years of good health – 20.2 years fewer, on average, than women living in the wealthiest areas.

Women born in Barnsley, for example, spend an average of 52 years and eight months in good health – almost two decades less than their counterparts in Wokingham, Berkshire, who enjoy around 70 years and ten months of healthy life.

When overall life expectancy is taken into account, this means women born in the poorest areas of England between 2020 and 2022 spent only 65.1 per cent – around two thirds – of their lives in good health, on average.

ONS statisticians noted this was the lowest proportion of healthy life recorded for women since reporting began in 2013.

By contrast, women born in the richest areas spent 81.5 per cent of their lives in good health.

A similar pattern was seen among men. 

Those born in the most deprived neighbourhoods could expect just 51 years of good health – 19 years fewer than men in the most affluent areas.

That equates to spending 70.4 per cent of life in good health, compared with 84.5 per cent for men in wealthier areas.

The ONS found that inequality has widened for both sexes over the past decade, with poorer men and women now living five and seven months longer in poor health, respectively, than they did ten years ago.

There are, however, steps individuals can take to improve their chances of a longer healthy life – regardless of where they live.

Eating a healthier diet – with fewer ultra-processed foods and less sugar and fat, and more fruit and vegetables – can help reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Staying physically active is also crucial. 

Research shows that regular exercise lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, increasing the likelihood of reaching old age in good health.

Scientists studying so-called Blue Zones – regions of the world where people routinely live into their 90s and beyond – have also identified a set of everyday habits linked to longevity.

These areas have long fascinated researchers not just because of their high numbers of centenarians, but because residents tend to reach old age with strikingly low rates of heart disease, dementia and other chronic illnesses. 

The best-known examples include Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Ikaria in Greece, Nicoya in Costa Rica – and Loma Linda in California, the only recognised Blue Zone in the US. 

These habits include strong social and family ties; mostly plant-based diets with meat eaten sparingly; regular low-intensity movement built into daily life; and structured downtime to manage stress. 

Blue Zone residents also tend to eat modest portions, often stopping before they feel full, drink alcohol – usually red wine – in moderation, and maintain a clear sense of purpose.

Faith, spirituality or belonging to a close community is another common thread, with researchers linking these factors to lower stress levels, healthier behaviours and longer life expectancy.