HEALTH AND WELLNESS SCREENINGS
HEALTH AND WELLNESS SCREENINGS
Why a Biometric Screening?
A biometric screening, or “biometric assessment,” is a screening performed for employees at a company’s workplace. It’s used to identify and monitor certain health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Employers can request a biometric screening to provide a baseline assessment on the overall health of their workforce, and can monitor emerging health conditions that may lead to more serious health conditions.
For employers in an industry that requires physical labor, a biometric screening can help improve safety by detecting warning signs of chronic conditions that can contribute to work injuries and accidents. Here’s what you need to know about biometric screenings and why they would be beneficial for you and your employees
Biometric
A biometric screening offers a clinical evaluation of a patient's important health scores. Biometric screenings establish a baseline to help patients test their risk for various health issues. Many of these issues could prove life threatening and can be prevented through early detection.
What Does a Biometric Screening Include?
At a biometric exam, a number of health indicators will be tested, including blood pressure, glucose (blood sugar) levels, lipids (cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, HDL), waist circumference, and body mass index. Height and weight will also be recorded. The reason for biometric testing is to display your health and alert you to any changes in your status.
Glucose (Blood Sugar)
Glucose in the blood reflects energy levels. Monitoring glucose levels can help determine if someone is prediabetic. Note that blood glucose will be different if a person fasts before it is measured versus eating and drinking normally beforehand, but there is a fasting and non-fasting guideline.
Lipids
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found primarily in meat and dairy products but is also produced by the human body itself. There are two types of cholesterol measured by a biometric exam: low-density lipids (LDL) , also known as bad cholesterol, and high-density lipids (HDL), also known as good cholesterol.
The exam will also measure triglycerides, a type of fat that resides in the blood. To calculate the total blood cholesterol, the HDL (good Cholesterol) and LDL (bad Cholesterol) are added together, plus 20% of triglyceride levels.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is written as a large number and a slightly smaller number separated by a slash. For example, 140/90 mm Hg is a blood pressure reading. The first number is the maximum pressure exerted by heartbeats, and the second number reflects the pressure between beats.
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg, and high blood pressure is over 140/90. Levels in between these two readings would reflect pre-hypertension.
Waist Circumference
The waist is commonly the slimmest part of the abdomen, placed just below the last rib and above the hip bones. Knowing this measurement helps to gauge abdominal fat. A waist over 35 inches for a woman who is not pregnant may reflect an increased risk for diseases related to obesity (such as sleep apnea). Similarly, a waist over 40 inches for a man may reflect the same.
(BMI) Body Mass Index
Body mass index measures body fat and determines if someone is healthy, underweight, overweight, or obese. To calculate a BMI, height, as well as weight, are taken into account. A high BMI reflects an increased risk for cancer, diabetes, and other conditions. Knowing if you are at risk is an opportunity to question your health habits and prepares you for your next visit to the doctor’s office.
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