6 Vital Health checks for men under 40

Being on the ‘safe side’ of age 40 can make you feel invincible. Especially if you’re active, have loads of energy and don’t struggle to get up off the sofa. But, is feeling good enough? We look at some of the vital health checks men under 40 should have done.

1. Blood pressure check: High blood pressure or hypertension is a common condition in South Africa and is often known as the “silent killer”. This is because nearly 33% of people who have it, don’t know it. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have yours measured.  If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and if not treated, hypertension can cause kidney failure, eye problems, heart disease and stroke, says Gerhard van Emmenis, Bonitas medical scheme’s principal officer.

“A normal resting blood pressure reading is 120/80. The systolic pressure (the first number), is the pressure or force the heart places on the walls of your blood vessels as it is working/pumping with each heartbeat. The diastolic pressure (the second number) is the lowest pressure the blood places on the walls of your blood vessels when the heart is relaxed between beats,” explains van Emmenis.

The procedure: A sphygmomanometer or blood pressure monitor is fastened to your arm and as it inflates and deflates it gives you a blood pressure reading.

2. Cholesterol level check: This test measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood. A normal reading is under 5mmol/l. The amount of cholesterol in your blood is directly correlated with your risk of developing heart disease. Monitoring your cholesterol levels helps you to understand and control your risk for heart disease, van Emmenis says.

The procedure: This is commonly a simple finger prick test, where blood is collected and analysed by a cholesterol monitor.

3. Blood sugar check: This random test is useful in diagnosing diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. The test checks the amount of sugar in your blood. For this test random testing is useful because glucose levels in healthy people do not vary widely throughout the day.

“A normal reading is below 7.8 mmol/l. A reading between 7.9mmol/l and 11mmol/l is indicative of prediabetes. Other risk factors for diabetes include being overweight, obese, or physically inactive, having a close relative with diabetes and having other diseases such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease,” adds van Emmenis.

The procedure: This is a finger prick test, where blood is collected and analysed by a glucometer while you wait.

4. Weight check: The Body Mass Index (BMI) test measures your weight and height and uses a specific formula to determine if you’re at a healthy weight or overweight. BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared.

“A BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is considered normal and healthy. A high BMI may be indicative of cardiovascular disease, gallbladder disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain types of cancer, such as colon and breast cancer,” van Emmenis says.

Specifically, the waist-to-hip ratio is a common measure of fat distribution. It serves as a warning about your estimated health risk for weight related issues. This test takes your waist measurement and divides it by your hip measurement. For men, a healthy waist to hip ratio is 0.95 and below.

The procedure: You are weighed and measured in terms of your height and waist circumference.

5. HIV test: HIV/AIDS is one of the most common pandemics in South Africa. Getting treatment early is essential to leading a long and healthy life.

“After contracting HIV, most people develop antibodies – cells that fight infection in the body. These antibodies can usually be detected through blood and/or saliva tests within 3 months of infection with the virus. The average time of successful detection is 25 days after exposure to HIV,” van Emmenis says.

The test typically detects the presence of the HI virus. Then, if the test is positive, a second test will be done immediately. Both tests must be positive to confirm a diagnosis of HIV.

The procedure: This is a finger prick check where your blood is checked to detect for HIV.

6. Prostate cancer check: Men should discuss screening for prostate cancer with their doctor. Screening guidelines take factors such as family history, age and personal history into account.
“A PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test can detect early prostate cancer. A rectal prostate examination may also be required to screen for prostate cancer,” states Discovery Health.

The procedure: “As the prostate is an internal organ, your doctor cannot look at it directly. The prostate lies in front of the rectum, so your doctor can feel it by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feel the prostate for abnormal areas. The test takes only a few minutes to complete and causes only slight, momentary discomfort with no damage to the prostate,” explains Discovery Health. 

The costs

“They can all be conducted at City Health facilities at no cost. Here the patient will be referred to the next level of care if any abnormality is confirmed,“ says alderman JP Smith, the City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for safety and security.

Alternatively, medial aid options do typically allow for certain tests to be done annually for free.

“This means that it will not impact savings or out-of-hospital benefits. In addition, wellness screenings are often available which is paid from risk, so it will not impact your other benefits. These tests can be done at a Clicks, Dischem or Pick n Pay pharmacy or at various corporate wellness days,” states van Emmenis.

If you’re still unsure about the importance of having these checks done, note that they are all early indicators of serious chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

“Early detection and intervention allows for proactive action to be taken before these conditions develop into serious medical conditions. Acting early is vital as accessing treatment as soon as possible can make a marked difference in clinical outcomes,” van Emmenis says.