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In this episode of Longevity by Design, our host, Dr. Gil Blander talks with Dr. Renee Deehan and Paul Fabian about Inside Tracker's new Healthspan Habits Score feature. This innovative tool analyzes data from wearable devices and daily journal entries to identify the most impactful habit to improve each week for better health span and longevity.
The guests explain how the algorithm processes up to 15 different variables, including sleep quality, step count, and lifestyle factors to create a personalized weekly score. Rather than overwhelming users with multiple recommendations, the report focuses on one key habit to change, applying behavioral science principles for sustainable improvement.
Deehan and Fabian detail how the system evaluates six weeks of data to identify trends and provide targeted recommendations, helping users bridge the gap between blood tests with actionable weekly guidance based on scientific research linking these habits to longevity outcomes.
Host-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Dr. Gil Blander
💡 What he does: Founder and CSO
💡 Company: InsideTracker
💡 Noteworthy: Expert in longevity, nutrition, and personalized health optimization
💡 Where to find him: LinkedIn
Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Dr. Renee Deehan
💡 What she does: Senior Vice President of Science and Artificial Intelligence
💡 Company: InsideTracker
💡 Noteworthy: Expert in precision health with a PhD from UC Berkeley
💡 Where to find her: LinkedIn
Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Paul Fabian
💡 What he does: Researcher
💡 Company: InsideTracker
💡 Noteworthy: Specializes in genetics, exercise biomarkers, and data-driven health recommendations
💡 Where to find him: LinkedIn
Episode highlights:
Introduction to Healthspan and Lifespan 00:00:00
Meet the Experts: Dr. Renee Dhan and Paul Fabian 00:01:07
Paul Fabian's Journey to Science 00:03:24
Introducing the Health Span Habits Core Tool 00:04:31
Inspiration Behind the Health Span Habits Core 00:05:07
How the Health Span Habits Core Works 00:06:40
Personalized Health Recommendations 00:08:02
How does Insight Tracker turn intent into action 00:10:16
How the Health Span Habit Score is Calculated 00:13:25
The Importance of Bedtime Consistency 00:22:00
Behavioral Science in Health Tracking 00:25:35
User Feedback and Future Directions 00:31:38
Final Thoughts and Tips for Longevity 00:42:20
Key Insights
Behavioral Science Drives User Engagement
The Healthspan Habits Score applies behavioral science to overcome the common problem of health app abandonment. By targeting the fundamental habit loop of cue-craving-response-reward, the tool creates an experience that works with human psychology rather than against it. This science-backed approach reduces the cognitive load on users while maximizing their chances of successful habit formation, making sustainable lifestyle change more achievable for the average person.
Prioritizing Data Recency Motivates Immediate Action
The algorithm gives greater weight to the most recent week's data, creating an immediate feedback mechanism that rewards quick action. This clever design choice acknowledges human motivation patterns, we respond better to systems that show rapid response to our efforts. When users see their recent improvements reflected more prominently in their scores, they're encouraged to maintain momentum rather than procrastinating on health changes.
Alternative Recommendations: Honor User Autonomy
Rather than prescribing a single solution, the Health Span Habits Score offers a few recommendations for each identified improvement area. This design choice recognizes that personal circumstances and preferences significantly impact adherence to health guidance. By providing options (like vitamin D supplementation or strategic napping for sleep improvement), the system respects individual autonomy while still directing users toward evidence-based interventions.
Age-Adjusted Expectations Create Fairer Assessments
The scoring system adjusts expectations based on demographic factors like age and sex, creating a more meaningful and motivating experience. This personalization means that an older user getting 8,000 steps might receive more positive reinforcement than a younger user with the same count. This approach acknowledges biological realities of aging while creating a more equitable measurement system that keeps users engaged regardless of their life stage.
Bridging the Gap Between Blood Tests
The Health Span Habits Score addresses a critical challenge in health monitoring - providing actionable guidance during the weeks between blood draws. This tool serves as a continuous feedback loop for users, taking data from wearables and daily check-ins to maintain engagement in the longevity journey.
"We get a lot of cues on what we need to do from day to day, from week to week, but we gather a lot of data. We wanted to simplify the message and say, What are the one or two things that you need to focus on given what you have been doing over the last six weeks?" - Dr. Renee Deehan
The Six-Week Analysis Window
The Health Span Habits report analyzes six weeks of data to provide more meaningful insights than daily fluctuations would allow. This timeframe offers a balanced view - long enough to establish trends but recent enough to be actionable and memorable for users.
"I really like that timeframe of being able to reflect on six weeks of data because it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day. But over six weeks of time, you can really get a better idea of how your health is trending overall and not just a day-to-day fluctuation." - Paul Fabian
Contributing Habits Chart: Visualizing Health Metrics
The report includes a visual chart that normalizes various health metrics, allowing users to directly compare how different habits (like sleep quality versus step count) contribute to their overall score. This visualization helps users understand which behaviors have the most significant impact on their health span.
"The report shows all of your different habits in what we're calling the contributing habits chart, which is a really useful way to compare these different modalities all in one location. That chart shows each habit either positively or negatively on one axis, so you can see directly how your step count is comparing to your sleep duration." - Paul Fabian
Future Developments and AI Integration
The team discusses exciting future directions for the Health Span Habits Score, including deeper integration with blood biomarker data, artificial intelligence features, and predictive modeling. These developments will provide even more personalized and actionable guidance for users.
"The early drafts of this report per person were maybe 26 pages long. From a scientific standpoint, we all love a 26-page report, but maybe not everybody wants that. With a chatbot in a future version, we would love to have the chat bot be able to access that 26-page report so it could help summarize that information." - Dr. Renee Deehan
For science-backed ways to live a healthier longer life, download InsideTracker's Top 5 biomarkers for longevity eBook at insidetracker.com/podcast
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- Dr. Andrea Maier—Mechanisms of Aging
- XPRIZE Healthspan: Revolutionizing Human Aging & Healthspan with Dr. Jamie Justice
