Health topic: Flagged for health intervention!

This year was the first time I took advantage of the cheap yearly health check that is available for people age 40 and over (I'm not sure if this and other health benefits vary regionally or not - I will describe the system for the part of Japan I live in, anyway). I'm 42 now.

This health check costs around 1000 yen, or about 10 U.S. dollars, and includes a variety of standard tests & measurements, including a blood test. Also, since I had been having some pains in my chest, I asked for the ECG, for an extra 200 yen or so (2 dollars). My grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack at age 50, so those pains were making me nervous.

Anyway, the doctor said the tests showed no problems (and the chest pains have gone away, too!). That was back in August.

This week, I was surprised to receive a card in the mail telling me that on the basis of that check, I have been flagged for a free health consultation, at our local ward health center! The reason seems to be that my BMI was 25.9...

As you can see, I am a bit overweight... healthy BMI is supposed to be 20-25. In fact, after having that cheap health check in mid-August, I learned that my company was also requiring us to have a health check (at a clinic of their choosing), so I had a second health check in late August. My weight measured slightly higher, and when I got the results sometime in Sept., I had gotten an "A" grade in everything except my weight, which had a "C" grade, and on this basis they had given me a "C" grade overall. :(

This and various other things (like finally getting really fed up with being overweight, a situation which started when I was expecting my second child more than 10 years ago!!) led me to start dieting in Sept. (still dieting now). Mostly just paying attention to what I eat, and not overeating or bingeing on snacks. When I'm full, I just stop eating! One piece of toast, not two, etc. Also, trying to walk most days to and from the subway station and my workplace, etc...

As of yesterday (*before* our Thanksgiving meal!!, which, yes, we had on Sunday evening), my weight was down by 2.3 kg (5 lbs.) and my BMI was 25.3 - yay, almost to healthy range! Although I've only lost 5 lbs., people have been saying I look thinner. My ideal weight would be to lose about 10 more kg (22 lbs.), but I want to just lose 4 more kg (9 lbs.) first and then see if it seems necessary to continue or not. So, about 9 more lbs. to lose in the next few months.

The health intervention card I got this week said I'm at risk for "metabolic syndrome" (something about excess fat, blood pressure problems, etc.), and that I've been flagged for the lower level of intervention ("active"?), not the higher level ("aggressive"?). I'm to go in to the health center in late Dec. or early Jan., to be weighed & measured, and then to have a free consulation about my lifestyle and how to improve my weight & fitness. The total time involved will be about an hour.

By U.S. standards, I am only a little overweight, but I'm definitely not in top condition and at my age it would be easy to keep gaining!! I think it's wonderful that the Japanese health care system is so proactive in trying to keep people in good condition, even people who are not so far over the healthy BMI range, like myself.

I'm definitely planning to go in for the free consultation, and it will be good motivation both beforehand and afterwards. Beforehand, because I will want to maintain and even improve on my current weightloss progress, to show them I am already trying. Afterwards, because the counselor will presumably say some helpful things and get me fired up for more weightloss!!