A new online quiz launched by the NHS encourages people in the UK to take time to reflect on their health and lifestyle.
The Healthy Choices Quiz, which takes about 5 minutes to complete, offers personalised advice on diet, exercise, sleep, smoking and mental wellbeing.
After answering a short set of questions, users receive a score out of ten along with practical suggestions and tools to help them make small improvements in their daily routines.
Health officials say the quiz is designed to make it easier for people to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle, especially when it can feel overwhelming to know where to begin.
“It indicates how your lifestyle choices might be affecting your health and wellbeing,” NHS GP Dr Sayyada Mawji told Islam Channel’s Salam Britain.
“It gives you a tailored plan that’s right for you, including suggestions and signposting to free NHS apps, tips, and tools to help you get started.”
The quiz is designed for adults aged 18 and over. Although created by medical experts, it’s not a medical assessment and does not ask for personal health details like weight or blood pressure.
Instead, it asks questions about everyday habits, including food choices, physical activity, sleep and smoking.
Practical tips and healthy alternatives
The quiz identifies areas for improvement and provides the “how-to” for making those changes.
For those looking to improve their diet, the quiz suggests simple swaps and alternatives. For example, to make healthy eating more affordable and convenient, the quiz highlights that tinned and frozen options are just as effective as fresh, helping users overcome the barriers of cost and food waste.
“There are NHS-approved, culturally relevant recipes that you can get signposted to as well. It’s not that we need to cut down on the foods we enjoy eating, but actually, how can we slightly modify those into healthy alternatives?” added Dr Mawji.
“So, for example, there are healthy salt alternatives using garam masala and paprika. And there are recipes for daal and keema, which is all very useful.”
Other practical tips include guidance on exercise, strategies for better sleep, quitting habits like smoking, and improving mental health and well-being.
Dr Mawji encourages taking the quiz as a social activity. “Do it as a family… it could even be a dinner table activity,” she suggests. Sharing scores and goals with friends or relatives can provide the support network needed to make lifestyle changes stick.
To start your journey, search for the “NHS Healthy Choices Quiz” online. It is free, confidential, and takes just five minutes to complete—a small investment for a healthier future.
