You may feel perfectly healthy – but how sure are you that all is well? Many serious health conditions develop slowly and silently, with no warning signs in the early stages. World Health Day on 7 April is a reminder to focus on prevention and early detection.
The good news
Regular health checks can catch problems early, when they’re easier to treat and manage. They’re also one of the simplest ways to stay proactive about your health. Yet many people put them off because they feel fine, worry about cost or fear what the results might show.
Warning signs
Just like road signs alert you to hazards ahead, your numbers can show when it’s time to make changes or seek help before things head in the wrong direction.
Blood pressure
What: A quick reading using an inflatable cuff around your arm or wrist.
Why: High blood pressure often has no symptoms but increases the risk of heart attack, kidney disease and stroke.
Know your number: Ideally your reading should be below 120/80. Several normal, non-medical factors, including age, fitness level, and body size, can lead to slightly different but still healthy numbers.
Note: It’s vital that people on blood-pressure medication take it as prescribed.
Blood sugar
What: Usually a finger-prick test to check the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Best done while fasting.
Why: Helps detect early signs of prediabetes or diabetes.
Know your number: Normal fasting blood sugar falls between 3.9 and 5.5 mmol/L.
Cholesterol (lipid profile)
What: A blood test that measures levels of good and bad cholesterol, which helps assess risk for heart disease.
Why: High cholesterol can clog arteries and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Know your number: Total cholesterol should be below 5 mmol/L.
Body mass index (BMI)
What: A calculation using weight (kg) divided by height (m²).
Why: Being overweight or obese is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
Know your number: While BMI is still widely used as a quick screening tool for obesity, it’s not ideal because it doesn’t take factors such as muscle mass, bone density, body composition or fat distribution into account. As a general guide, a healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9, but a body builder, for example, might have a reading as high as 30, but is clearly not obese.
Screenings to schedule*
Alongside your annual check-up, certain screenings become important at specific ages or life stages.
- Pap smear: Women from age 20 (or from first sexual activity) – annually, to detect early signs of cervical cancer.
- Mammogram: Women from age 40 – every two years to screen for breast cancer. If you have a family history or BRCA 1 or BRCA2, screening should be more frequently. If a first-degree relative (mother or full-sibling) is diagnosed, you should start having mammograms 10 years before the age of the first-degree relative’s diagnosis.
- PSA test: Men from age 40 – every five years initially, then more often depending on results, to check for prostate cancer. The latest data also suggests that rectal examinations should be essential part of screening.
- Eye examination: Adults from age 40 – every two years, then yearly from 50 to detect vision defects and signs of systemic disease, such as glaucoma.
- Colonoscopy: Adults from age 50 – every five to 10 years to screen for colorectal cancer. Screening should start earlier if you have first-degree relatives who have had a cancer diagnosis.
- Vaccination schedules: To ensure all routine vaccinations and boosters are up to date.
- Mental health screening: Helps identify depression, anxiety, or stress issues.
- Bone density scan: Adults from age 50 – every three years, to check for signs of osteoporosis. Screening is also recommended for people, especially oncology patients. who have had drugs that have an effect on bone density, no matter what their age.
- Dental check-up: Everyone – yearly, to prevent cavities and gum disease.
*Your medical scheme may cover screenings as part of your Health Platform benefits. Check your member guide for details.
Reference
Mediclinic Health Hub: Essential screenings
