This five second test can 'predict' if you're heading towards an early death

There is a simple five second test that can apparently ‘predict’ if you are heading towards an early death.

Which is a cheery thought just before Christmas but one study has shed some light on how to estimate what someone’s life expectancy looks like.

Of course, there are plenty of factors in how long someone might live for, including things such as genetics and lifestyle - and obviously, luck.

After all, it doesn’t really make a difference how healthy your diet is if you get flattened by a bus.

But putting random acts of God aside for a minute, one test is purported to be a way to see just how long you might live for.

A perfect score means you can get up from this position without using your hands or knees (Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)

It is known as the sitting and standing test and takes just mere seconds to complete.

So, how does it work?

How does the sitting and standing test work?

The process of the test has been explained by Professor Janet Lord who said that it starts off by standing with your legs crossed with bare feet, before lowering yourself to the ground.

But there's a catch - you can't use your hands, and your knees can't touch the ground either.

That's just the first bit though, as once you're down, you then have to stand up again, with the same restrictions applying, so no hands.

“You're showing how strong your muscles are, and without wobbling at all you're showing how good your balance is,” said Lord.

This simple act is then placed on a scoring system.

You have to sit down and stand up without using your hands and knees (The Good Brigade/Getty Images)

You start with 10 points, and points are then deducted each time you need to use a hand or a knee when you sit down and stand up, and half a point if you wobble.

A Brazilian study assessed over 2,000 people aged between 50 and 80, and found that the scores matched up with people's health after the study.

What do different scores mean?

Well, eight to 10 is the best, meaning that you'll likely have a long and healthy life.

The next bracket down is the six to 7.5 group, who are twice as likely to have a shorter life than the eight-10 group.

Then it's 3.5 to 5.5, who have three and a half times the risk of a shorter life. But there is some good news - if you exercise and get a better score, then this improves your chances.

This is because the test is an indicator of your overall strength, fitness, and cardiac health as well.