Editorial Policy
Life expectancy and health are topics where wrong numbers can mislead people. This page explains the rules we follow when we build and update Lifespan Check.
Sources we use
- Official statistics first. Baselines come from national and international statistics, such as the US Social Security Administration's period life tables, the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the World Health Organization and the UN World Population Prospects. Pages in other languages use local offices where they exist, such as INSEE, INE and ISTAT.
- Peer-reviewed research for lifestyle effects. When a tool adjusts an estimate for smoking, alcohol, activity, sleep or blood pressure, the weighting comes from published studies. Tool pages name the method they use, for example the Framingham risk equations for heart age.
- Named and linked. Each tool and data page lists its sources. We don't use figures we can't trace to a source.
How estimates are presented
- Results are educational statistical estimates for groups of similar people, not predictions of when any individual will die, and not medical advice. See the Medical Disclaimer.
- We explain how each number is built and what it leaves out. The methodology page covers the main calculator.
- We don't invent precision. We don't claim accuracy percentages that no study supports, and we use cautious wording where the evidence is mixed.
Review and freshness
- Tool and data pages show a "Last reviewed" date. We update it when we check a page against its sources or change its content.
- When a main source publishes new figures, such as a new life table, we update the affected pages and their dates.
- Worked examples on tool pages are checked against the calculator's actual output.
Who writes and checks the content
Pages are produced by the Lifespan Check editorial team. We do not currently have a medical reviewer, and we do not describe our content as medically reviewed. If that changes, reviewers will be named on the pages they review, with their qualifications.
Translations
German, French, Spanish and Italian pages are adapted rather than translated word for word. Where a country publishes its own figures, we use them, and we list helplines and units (for example the size of a standard drink) that apply in that country. Translated tool guides receive a separate language and accuracy review before they go live.
Advertising and independence
The site is funded by Google AdSense advertising. Advertisers have no say in our numbers, sources or wording, and we don't accept payment to mention products.
Corrections
If you find an error, an outdated figure or a broken source link, email lifespancheck@gmail.com with the page address and, ideally, a source. We check every report, correct the page if needed and update its date.
Sensitive topics
Numbers about lifespan can be upsetting. If a result leaves you anxious or low, please talk to someone you trust. In the US you can call or text 988. Elsewhere, findahelpline.com lists free, confidential services by country.