Dr Amir Khan says five tests will show how 'well you're ageing'

A doctor has shared five simple tests that can tell you how well you’re ageing. These can tell you more about your health than what you look like and how many wrinkles you have, he said. In a video uploaded to his Instagram page, Doctor Amir Khan told his followers that he doesn’t care about how young you look. Instead, there are some important science-backed indicators that reveal more about your wellbeing as you get older . Dr Amir, who is best known for his appearances on ITV, said: “Everybody is trying to look younger than their age, but, as a GP, I don't really care about your wrinkles or what you look like . I care about what your body feels like and there are five things I look at that tell me far more about how well you're ageing than having wrinkles.” We've cracked the three simple ways to be happy, WHO tips on avoiding dementia, sleep supplement eases pain, cold and flu tablets don’t work, and can Ozempic prevent cancer? All this and more in our science newsletter According to Dr Amir, grip strength is one of the “strongest predictors” of healthy ageing. He said: “People with stronger group strength tend to stay independent for longer and have a lower risk of frailty and even premature death. “So, don't neglect your strength training.” He described your walking speed as a “full body MOT” as it “reflects” the health of your muscles, heart, lungs, and brain. “If you've gradually slowed down without a good reason, it's worth paying attention to and working on it,” he said. More specifically, this is about whether you can get up from the floor without using your hands. Dr Amir asked: “Can you get off the floor without using your hands? “It sounds simple, right? But it takes strength, balance, flexibility and coordination. If you struggle, don't see it as a failure. See it as something you can improve and work on.” The expert said he was less interested in how much you weigh and more interested in where you’re carrying weight. “A larger waistline is linked with a high risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease, now called MASLD,” he said “Most adults” have a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute. He said: “But lower is often better provided you're well. “Many fit active adults sit around the 50 to 60 beats per minute and endurance athletes can be in their 40s. If your resting heart rate is consistently above 80, it's worth thinking about whether you could improve your fitness, your sleep, your stress levels, or discuss it with your doctor if you have any symptoms.” He added: “I know getting older is a privilege, absolutely it is but ageing well isn't about looking 25 forever, it's about staying strong enough to carry your shopping, steady enough to avoid falls, fit enough to play with your grandkids, and healthy enough to keep doing the things you love.”