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Preventive health checkups are routine health exams to help maintain health, detect potential health issues early and lower risk for future illnesses. Preventive Health Checkups may include blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, vaccination, cancer screening, mental health, lifestyle counseling and more depending upon your age, gender, family history, and health risks.
If you aren’t feeling unwell, there’s no need to wait to book an appointment with your GP. There may be no symptoms of some health issues, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol. Preventive care provides a time to you and your health care provider to find and discuss potential risks before they become larger issues.
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This article is part of
Preventive Care Hub
What Is a Preventive Health Checkup?
An exam or visit to the doctor that is designed to prevent a certain disease or injury as opposed to treating an existing one.
Your healthcare provider will take a look at your medical and family history, perform basic health checks, talk to you about your lifestyle habits, update your vaccinations and advise you on screening tests that are appropriate for your personal risk factors during your visit.
“Preventive care” isn’t always the same. Various factors such as age, sex, family history, past test results, lifestyle and risk factors may influence services required.
Preventive healthcare focuses on maintaining wellness and identifying potential health concerns before they become more serious. Explore our preventive care guide for an overview of healthy preventive practices.
Preventive Care vs. Sick Visit
| Preventive Visit | Sick Visit |
| Focuses on maintaining health | Focuses on a current problem |
| May include screening tests | May include diagnostic testing |
| Reviews health risks | Investigates symptoms |
| Checks vaccination status | Treats an illness or injury |
| Discusses lifestyle habits | Focuses on the immediate complaint |
Even if you get a routine checkup, that doesn’t mean you should have a full physical exam every year. It will be a suitable schedule for each person’s health
Why Are Regular Health Checkups Important?
The most significant benefit of preventive dental treatment is that it is quick to detect.
For instance, there are symptoms of high blood pressure that are not felt, and high cholesterol and significant blood glucose levels that can go undetected for a period of time. These can be detected by screening so that you and your health care provider can take action.
Health screenings can help detect certain conditions early and provide useful information about your overall health. Explore our health screening guide for more information about recommended screenings.
You can help yourself by:
- Early detection of health hazards
- Maintain up-to-date vaccinations
- Monitor blood pressure and cholesterol
- Serve as a cancer screen for some cancers
- Assess diabetes risk
- Talk about nutrition and exercise.
- Speak about nutrition and physical activity.
- Check medicines and medicine supplements
- Talk about smoking and drinking alcohol
- Address mental-health concerns
- Establish a relationship with your healthcare provider that is long-term.
CDC advises to keep up with routine medical and dental exams, screening tests, vaccines and health counseling.
What Is Included in a Routine Checkup?
A single test package is not suitable for all adults.
During a routine screening appointment, you might have one or more of the following:
| Checkup Area | What May Be Reviewed |
| Vital signs | Blood pressure, heart rate, weight, height |
| Metabolic health | Blood glucose or diabetes risk |
| Heart health | Cholesterol and cardiovascular risk |
| Mental health | Depression or other mental-health concerns |
| Cancer prevention | Age- and risk-appropriate screenings |
| Vaccines | Recommended immunizations |
| Lifestyle | Diet, exercise, tobacco and alcohol use |
| Family history | Major diseases and inherited risks |
| Medications | Prescription drugs, vitamins and supplements |
| Other concerns | Dental, vision, hearing or fall-risk needs |
Services to be ordered should be determined by individual risk and not routine ordering of all services.
Routine healthcare needs can vary at different stages of life, making age-specific checkups an important part of preventive health planning. Explore our preventive care by age guide for age-related health information.
How Often Should You Get a Health Checkup?
Not all healthy adults require the same exam on a yearly basis.
Your provider can help you decide on a schedule based on your risk, health and previous results as well as your age. MedlinePlus points out that screening guidelines are different depending on age, sex, and health status.
One of the most useful things to do is to have regular contact with a primary healthcare worker and follow up on screening and immunizations as scheduled.
Vaccinations are an important part of preventive healthcare and can help protect against several infectious diseases. Explore our vaccinations and immunizations guide for more information.
Preventive Care by Age
| Age Group | Main Preventive Focus |
| 18–29 | Blood pressure, lifestyle, mental health, vaccines and risk assessment |
| 30–39 | Heart-health risks, blood pressure, cholesterol when appropriate, lifestyle and recommended screenings |
| 40–49 | Cardiovascular risk, diabetes screening when indicated, cancer screening and vaccinations |
| 50–64 | Cancer screening, cardiovascular health, diabetes risk, vaccines and age-related screening |
| 65+ | Preventive screening, vaccines, fall risk, bone health, hearing, vision and other age-related concerns |
This is a general schedule, and not a personal one. If you have symptoms, family history, or abnormal previous screening results, or other risk factors, your healthcare provider may advise earlier or more frequent screening.
Annual Physical Exams
Preventive healthcare is usually called “annual physical,” but it doesn’t mean that every annual exam will be a comprehensive physical.
JAMA points out that routine checkups are supposed to be wellness visits and that they do not necessarily have to include a physical exam and need to be done on an annual basis for all adults.
Don’t just concentrate on having an annual physical exam, consider receiving the preventive services that are relevant to you.
Certain preventive screenings can help identify signs of cancer earlier, when treatment may be more effective. Explore our cancer prevention and screening guide for useful information.
That may include:
- Blood pressure checks
- Recommended blood tests
- Cancer screening
- Vaccinations
- Mental-health screening
- Lifestyle counseling
- Risk assessment
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Checks
One of the simplest measures in preventive health care can provide important information regarding cardiovascular risk – blood pressure.
Often, there are no signs of high blood pressure, so it is important to have routine measurements.
Depending on the person’s age and risk, cholesterol testing may also be suggested. Your provider will consider the results of your cholesterol check along with other elements, including your blood pressure, smoking history, diabetes, age and family history.
Don’t think that if you get a normal result, then you don’t need another one. Your health care provider will be able to suggest the right time.
Children need regular preventive healthcare to support healthy growth and development, including routine visits and age-appropriate screenings. Explore our preventive care for children guide for practical information.
Blood Sugar and Diabetes Screening
Another important aspect of prevention, diabetes screening.
In the U.S., guidelines for preventive services may recommend screening for certain adults for type 2 diabetes, such as adults age 40 to 70 who have overweight or obesity.
Your doctor may consider:
- Age
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Family history
- Other risk factors
Depending on the situation, a blood glucose test or HbA1c might be employed.
Cancer Screening During Preventive Care
Screening for cancer is meant to detect some cancers before they cause symptoms.
Depending on age, sex, family history and risk, preventive care may involve screening for:
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lung cancer
This includes discussions or screening for prostate cancer.
Other cancers, if clinically appropriate.
Colorectal cancer screening for adults aged 45-75 and lung cancer screening for some adults aged 50-80 and with a substantial smoking history, for instance, are offered on HealthCare.gov.
Recommendations for screening can vary, so check with a health care provider about your own schedule instead of a screening checklist.
Preventive Care Also Includes Vaccines
Blood tests are not the only means of preventive healthcare.
Vaccinations are an important part of disease prevention. Adults may require vaccines (influenza, COVID-19, tetanus, shingles, pneumococcal, hepatitis, HPV or others) depending on age and health status.
Ask your provider or pharmacist to check which vaccines are needed.
Health Checkups by Age
Preventive care is different as you age.
Young Adults
For younger adults, the visits may include assessing blood pressure, healthy lifestyle, mental health, vaccinations, sexual health (if age-appropriate), and personal risk factors.
Adults who are in their 30s and 40s
Cardiovascular and metabolic risk becomes more of a problem as people age. If there is a risk, providers might give more attention to cholesterol, blood sugar, obesity, blood pressure, and/or the right cancer screenings.
Adults 50 and Older
Screens, such as cancer screenings, cardiovascular health, and other age-related preventive services take on greater importance. For instance, some adults are advised to get colorectal cancer screening starting at the age of 45.
Adults 65 and Older
Older adults may require extra screening for fall risk, bone health, hearing, vision and memory or need vaccinations.
Preparing for a Preventive Checkup
Preparing before your appointment can make it more beneficial.
Bring or prepare:
- A list of your current medications
- All vitamins and supplements you consume
- Family health history
- Previous medical records (if applicable)
- List of questions you have to ask
- Information about allergies
- A summary of recent symptoms/ health changes
MedlinePlus advises to look at your family health history, to get a list of medication and questions to take to your appointment, and to find out if you need screenings or vaccines.
Common Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- What are the recommended screenings for each age group?
- Is there any reason to screen sooner than recommended?
- How often should I follow-up on my cholesterol?
- Do I need to be tested for diabetes?
- Have I been up to date with my vaccinations?
- What are the cancer tests I should have?
- Will screening change my family’s history?
- Is there anything I can do to change my lifestyle so as to lower my health risks?
- If the test results are abnormal or borderline, when should I repeat the test?
- Which preventive services are covered by my insurance?
Adopt preventive checkups and health insurance in the United States of America. Practice preventive checkups and health insurance in USA.
For reliable U.S. preventive-care guidance, readers can check the CDC Preventive Care recommendations. The CDC explains why routine checkups, screening tests, vaccinations, and health counseling are important for staying healthy.
Final Takeaway
Preventive health checkups are about more than receiving a yearly physical. They are an chance to review your health risks, stay current with vaccinations and screenings. Finding certain difficulties before they become harder to achieve. The correct preventive-care plan depends on your age, health history, family history and separate risks.
For adults in the USA, the finest method is to work with a primary care expert and use current preventive-care circumstances rather than collation every available test. Regular, suitable care can aid you stay informed and take action while difficulties are still easier to address.
Dr. Khizrana Begum is a qualified medical professional with MBBS and MD qualifications and 5+ years of experience in the medical field. She works as a General Physician and Dermatologist, with knowledge spanning general medicine, dermatology, preventive healthcare and skin health.
As a medical reviewer, Dr. Khizrana Begum reviews health and wellness content for medical accuracy, clarity and authenticity.
Sameena Begum reviews content for clarity, accuracy and reader usefulness. Her review process helps ensure that published information is clearly presented, relevant and easy for readers to understand.
Syeda Yasmeen is a Health & Wellness Writer at InHumanBeing.com. She creates clear and reader-focused content across health, nutrition, wellness, women’s health, men’s health and babies’ health.
