Making the Most of Your Health Checkup
To check your metabolic health on your national health checkup report, compare five numbers with their reference values: waist circumference (90 cm for men, 85 cm for women, by Korean criteria), blood pressure (130/85), fasting blood glucose (100), triglycerides (150), and HDL cholesterol (40 for men, 50 for women). If three or more go past the reference values, you may meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome.
How to Use Your Health Checkup
Your national health checkup report contains most of the key numbers that show metabolic health. These include waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and, depending on the checkup year, lipid levels such as total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides.
When you get your report, do not look only at the “normal / caution” rating. Compare each number with its reference value and check how it has changed from your past results.
Key points to practice
Waist circumference
Compare with 90 cm for men and 85 cm for women (Korean criteria)
Blood pressure
Compare with 130/85 mmHg
Fasting blood glucose
If it is 100 mg/dL or higher, check whether you have prediabetes
Triglycerides
Check whether it is 150 mg/dL or higher
HDL cholesterol
Check whether it is below 40 mg/dL for men or below 50 mg/dL for women
Next steps
If any item is past the reference value, talk to a medical facility
Check your metabolic syndrome risk using your checkup report
- KDCA National Health Information Portal, “Metabolic Syndrome”
- KDCA National Health Information Portal, “Diabetes”