Cat,
The Life Gained Methodology in our quit meter was developed by researchers, clinical scientists and behavioral psychologists and is based on recent life expectancy data.
A persons� life expectancy is estimated by calculating the mean number of remaining years of life within a large group of similar persons of the same age. Life expectancy is not the predicted survival time for that particular person, but the average survival time of similar persons. It is now widely accepted that smoking results in a substantial increase on mortality rates, and thus, a decrease in life expectancy.
We cannot speak for any of the other quit meters, but many of them are based on a �set variables�. Our Life Gained Methodology is much more sophisticated and is based on a number of variables such as your sex, your age, number of years that you smoked, and how old you were when you quit. Sometimes our stats may jump around a bit as the amount of life that you gain changes as you age and as you remain smoke-free. Other quit meters are more linear, which means that they do not account for all of the complex variables that the SSC Quit Meter does.
One thing that all quit meters do tell us is that your most definitely increase your life expectancy when you quit smoking.
Hope this helps,
Josie, Support Specialist
