Good health check results do not necessarily mean good health! What are the limitations of general medical examinations? [Doctor Yuji Yamada]

mi-mollet

Some of the diseases that occur with aging are preventable and have established effective preventive methods. Medical care that considers the prevention of such diseases is also called "preventive medicine" and has been attracting a lot of attention in recent years. Preventive medicine consists of three pillars: health checkups, vaccinations, and lifestyle modification. Here, I would like to think about health checkups. Health checkups are part of the welfare program of the company to which they belong, and many people take them every year. What is the significance of health checkups?

You are obliged to undergo a "general health checkup"

The "general health checkup" that you generally receive every year is required by law. . The Industrial Safety and Health Act stipulates that "employers must provide workers with a medical examination by a doctor, and workers must undergo a health examination conducted by the employer." wrap up). As a general medical examination, the following 11 items are stipulated by the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (however, there are some differences depending on age) (Reference 2).・Examination of medical history and work history ・Presence or absence of subjective and objective symptoms ・Examination of height, weight, waist circumference, vision and hearing ・X-ray chest examination ・Measurement of blood pressure ・Urinalysis (sugar, protein) ・Anemia test ( red blood cell count, hemoglobin content), liver function test (GOT, GPT, γ-GTP), blood lipid test (triglyceride, HDL, LDL), blood sugar test, electrocardiogram test. First, “history” refers to previous illnesses. By knowing this information, you can see whether you are receiving appropriate treatment for your chronic illness, and whether your current work will cause you to become unwell. On the other hand, "work history" may not seem to be related to health at first glance, but it is important because health problems at risk change depending on the work content. BMI calculated from height and weight is used to define obesity and underweight. BMI can be calculated by [weight (kg)] ÷ [height (m) squared]. 22 is considered "ideal" worldwide, and Asians define 25 or more as obese and 18.5 or less as underweight (references 3). Waist circumference is also used as an indicator of obesity, with a standard of 85 cm for men and 90 cm for women. Exceeding this number warrants evaluation for complications of obesity.