Check Your Health IQ:
Quiz on Recommended Health Screenings
As we age, there are tests we should schedule and numbers we should know to monitor our health. Unfortunately, when asked, most people get the answers wrong.
Here’s a quick quiz to test your knowledge. Circle your answer for each question, then go to the end and see how well you did.
1. How old should you be to have your first cholesterol screening?
A. 9
B. 20
C. 30
D. 40
E. It depends on your risk factors.
2. How old should the typical person be for their first colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer?
A. 35
B. 40
C. 45
D. 50
E. 55
3. What is a healthy blood pressure level?
A. 110/70
B. 120/80
C. 130/90
D. 140/95
E. 150/95
4. For women with an average risk of breast cancer, at what age should they get their first mammogram?
A. 35
B. 40
C. 45
D. 50
E. 55
5. What is a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)?
A. 17 or lower
B. 19 or lower
C. 19-25
D. 26-30
E. 31-35
1: A and E
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at a minimum, “Cholesterol should be checked starting early in life. Children and adolescents should have their cholesterol checked at least once between ages 9 and 11 and again between ages 17 and 21. Children who have obesity or diabetes may need to be screened for high cholesterol more often.”
2: C
According to the American Cancer Society, “...people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam).”
After the first test, based on the results, your doctor will recommend follow-up screenings. For more detailed guidelines, visit cancer.org.
3: A
Before 2019, a reading of 120/80 was considered healthy and normal. Under the old guidelines, someone with blood pressure up to 129 was still considered normal. High normal was 130 to 139.
The new guidelines list 121 to 129 as ELEVATED and 130 to 139 as STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. 140 and up are considered serious, STAGE 2 HYPERTENSION.
The current acceptable blood pressure level is 110/70.
The leading cause of death worldwide is high blood pressure. It leads to problems like strokes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease that kill millions every year. Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have high blood pressure because it doesn’t always have symptoms. Checking your blood pressure should be part of a regular medical checkup.
4: B
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), “Women who are at average risk for breast cancer should start mammogram screening at age 40 and get one every two years until age 74.”
The American Cancer Society states,“...a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn’t have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known to increase risk of breast cancer (such as in a BRCA gene), and has not had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30.”
Because male breast cancer is so much less common, accounting for approximately 1 in every 100 cases, mammograms are not routinely suggested for persons assigned male at birth.
“The American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines say an annual mammogram may be considered for a person assigned male at birth who has both:
*Gynecomastia
*A high risk of breast cancer due to having a family member with breast cancer or having a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutation.”
Talk to your doctor about specific recommendations for you.
5: C
Your Body Mass Index is a formula that calculates your weight-to-height ratio. A healthy range is considered between 19-25. When researchers tracked 7,700 men for 15 years, they found the lowest combined rate of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and even death occurred in men whose BMI was between 20 and 23.9. Once your BMI gets higher than that, disease and death rates start rising about 10 percent per index point - or about every six to eight pounds for most people (depending on height).
There are problems with the scale, especially for people who weigh more because of muscles. In those cases, you can have a higher BMI if you’re well-built. But, even for people who workout, rates of death and disability start to climb once their BMI is over 30.
How did you do? Are there tests you need to schedule or numbers you should take a closer look at?
Reference Links:
Recommendations for Follow-Up After Colonoscopy and Polypectomy: A Consensus Update by the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
Samir Gupta, David Lieberman, Joseph C. Anderson, Carol A. Burke, Jason A. Dominitz, Tonya Kaltenbach, Douglas J. Robertson, Aasma Shaukat, SapnaSyngal, Douglas K. Rex
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Published Volume 91, No.3 : 2020
Colorectal Cancer: Screening
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Published May 18, 2021
American Cancer Society Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening
American Cancer Society, Last Revised: November 17, 2020
Get a Cholesterol Test
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Last Reviewed: May 15, 2023
Click Here for the Study: Testing for Cholesterol | Cholesterol | CDC
Measure Your Blood Pressure
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Last Reviewed: March 17, 2023
Click Here for the Study: Measure Your Blood Pressure | High Blood Pressure | CDC
American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer
American Cancer Society, Last Revised: January 14, 2022
Call for a FREE Consultation (305) 296-3434
CAUTION: Check with your doctor before
beginning any diet or exercise program.
12/1/2023
