Scarey Health Checks!

Hi folks,

What are your first impressions of health checks? Over the past few weeks I have been offering an 'open health clinic' with a new client company. Part of this service is a comprehensive health check including blood pressure, body fat %, body-water content, muscle content, bone weight, etc but many people steer clear as they seem scared of what these tests will reveal! Most of the people that are interested in such tests are those that are generally healthy & already make an effort to improve, however as we know these are not the people we need to reach.


As mentioned in previous posts, health checks shouldn't be the focal point of a health / wellness program as the test results are a 'snap-shot' & can be affected by an extra cup of coffee that day or 'white coat' syndrome. They only tell us when things have already gone wrong (e.g. high blood pressure) when what's really needed are workshops on how to prevent the on-set of poor health.


No-one likes bad news so if people know that they're unhealthy they won't want to get that confirmed or that they do actually have something to be concerned about (ignorance is bliss right?). So to try to attract those people who would most benefit from a health clinic / workshop, my adverts are now going to say "got any questions about your nutrition?" or "Advice on the right exercise for you". This more inclusive & informal approach should appeal to more people & I'm still able to offer the health tests to those who want them.

Let me know your thoughts on this & how this goes down in your workplace or gym.

Thanks

James