Sure, we all want to lead healthier lives, but where to start on that path isn't always obvious. The way forward, Wired explains, could be as simple as taking quizzes on a new app.
Called Hi.Q, the free download (currently only available on iOS), starts by asking users a set of 20 basic health questions. After that, you can answer another 10,000 questions covering 300 health topics in four basic categories (nutrition, exercise, medicine, and integrative wellness). These cover everything from strength training to airborne allergens to organic foods, and can become more specific as you go on. How well you do on the quizzes determines your Hi.Q, or Health IQ, with specific percentile scores for each category.
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The app was originally calibrated with a group of 250,000 users, and their Hi.Q data is correlated with a few intriguing things. First, those with higher scores were less likely to be hospitalized than those with lower scores. Also, Hi.Q information supported national obesity data, so there does seem to be some level of real-world accuracy to the results.
This kind of accuracy could be due to the fact that Hi.Q's questions and answers were reviewed by actual doctors and experts. Many of the answers link back to the original studies on which the information was based, making it easier for curious users to learn even more — and for anyone who didn't do so well to score better next time.
With such a plethora of fitness-tracking apps out there (and general health-monitoring apps on the rise), one that actually tests your knowledge of the thing you're supposed to be getting better at seems like a natural step forward. And, yes, this will be on the final.