Advanced Health in more detail

Health and fitness tests in your Advanced Health Assessment

Understanding your health Hide

Physical examination: Doctor consultation and physical examination lasting up to 60 minutes.

Test results: You’ll usually be able to get your test results on the day.

Lifestyle consultation: Together with a health adviser, you’ll identify your key health objectives and agree a realistic action plan to help you achieve them.

Health action plan: This includes your available test results, personal health profile and your action plan to maintain and improve your health in the future.

Body composition measures Hide

Body fat percentage: We work out how much of your body is made up of fat and how much is lean tissue, such as muscle and bone. Combined with a Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement, this can indicate your ideal healthy weight.

Height and weight measurement: We combine and compare these measurements with other tests.

Waist to height ratio: This is a measurement of fat stored around your middle, which can indicate whether you’re at a higher risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

BMI: This is a ratio of your height to weight, which helps to indicate if you are at a healthy weight. People with a BMI of 25 and over can have a higher-than-average risk of health problems like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

Metabolic rate: This works out how many calories your body needs in a resting state. It can help you understand your daily calorie needs in order to manage your weight better.

Heart and lung tests Hide

Blood pressure and pulse rate: We check for higher-than-normal blood pressure (hypertension) as this means that the heart has to work harder to push blood around your body. Over the long term, this is associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

Read more about blood pressure

Electrocardiogram (ECG): This measures the electrical activity of the heart while you are at rest. An ECG can help identify problems with the heart such as coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart or disturbances in the electrical control of the heart (arrhythmia).

Read about how an ECG works

Carbon monoxide test: This measures the level of carbon monoxide in your blood. Cigarette smoke contains a lot of carbon monoxide, which combines with haemoglobin and can reduce the blood’s ability to carry oxygen around the body. Highlighting high levels of carbon monoxide in the blood can be a powerful motivator for people to stop smoking as levels return to normal only one to two days after the last cigarette.

Find out how to stop smoking

Lung function tests: Measurement of the flow of air through your lungs, the size and volume of your lungs, and how efficiently they work. Results can indicate early signs of lung disease and conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Measurement of heart and lung efficiency: We monitor your heart rate, oxygen uptake and lung response during exercise. Efficient heart and lung response is important for good levels of cardiovascular fitness.

Coronary heart disease risk score: We estimate the risk of a heart attack within the next 10 years, taking into account your age, sex, total cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, presence of diabetes and whether or not you smoke.

Read about the cardiovascular system

Lung age: Based on the results from the lung function tests, we can estimate your ‘lung age’. This can motivate people to stop smoking, and may indicate early lung problems.

Find out how to stop smoking

Fitness measures Hide

Fitness score: The VO2 max (also known as maximal oxygen uptake) measures how efficient your body is at taking in, delivering and using oxygen. The test involves cycling on a stationary bicycle or running on a treadmill (selected locations only^{^}) with gradual increases in workload.

Body metabolism during exercise: We monitor your respiratory responses throughout exercise using a mouthpiece that shows the amount of fat and carbohydrate used. This allows us to identify your ideal training levels.

Advice on exercise: We’ll help you develop the right exercise routine to help you to meet your health and fitness goals, based on the results of a cardio respiratory fitness analysis, your medical questionnaire and medical test results.

Strength assessment: Strength is a core element of fitness, so we estimate your overall strength through our grip dynamometer test.

Flexibility test: A measurement of your flexibility through a trunk flexion assessment. We then compare your results to population averages and advise you on ways to improve flexibility. If you take further health assessments, we can monitor your flexibility over time.

Blood and urine tests Hide

Biochemistry profile: These tests focus on important functions in the body, identifying whether certain substances are at a normal level.

• The liver is vital for creating important hormones and proteins and breaking down toxic substances.
• Calcium levels are important in nerve and muscle function, as well as being an important part of bone structure.
• Kidney function is essential for removing the body’s waste products by filtering the blood.
• Gout test is a measurement of uric acid, which can lead to painful inflammation of joints if it builds up.

Full blood count: Including haemoglobin measurement and tests on your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. These tests can check for anaemia and infections.

Cholesterol profile blood test: High cholesterol affects your heart and blood vessels and increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Read about cholesterol

Diabetes blood test: We check for raised glucose levels which may indicate diabetes. This can usually be controlled with diet, exercise or medicines. If not controlled, it can increase the risk of problems such as heart disease and strokes, nerve damage and blindness.

Read about Type 2 diabetes

Blood in stool test: Analysis of three stool specimens (samples of your bowel movement) to test for bowel cancer.

Thyroid function blood test: We measure your levels of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), which helps control the thyroid gland. This is the gland that releases the hormone thyroxine, which controls metabolism.

Read about overactive thyroids

This test is only offered to women over 50 and anyone who takes the Bupa Mature Health assessment.

Urinalysis: This involves three tests on your urine sample to detect blood, glucose and protein, which can indicate an infection, diabetes or kidney problems.
 

Sensory tests Hide

Hearing test: We measure your hearing at different frequencies, checking for hearing loss.

Vision test: We test your vision at different distances, colour vision and peripheral vision to identify any problems and see if you may need glasses.

Female health tests Hide

Pelvic examination: A physical examination of the pelvic area along with an internal examination of the vagina, uterus and ovaries. If you have symptoms that may indicate a pelvic problem, we may refer you to a specialist.

This is only carried out if clinically indicated and cannot be carried out during menstruation. Please try to arrange your test mid-cycle to avoid having to return for this part of your assessment.

Cervical smear test: We test for any pre-cancerous changes in the cells that may turn into cancer at a later stage. This allows any changes to be treated before they progress.

Read more about the smear test

HPV test: Some types of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) are associated with the development of cervical cancer in some women.

This is only carried out if your smear is abnormal. If HPV is present, then further investigations are needed.

Breast check: A physical and visual examination of the breasts. Abnormalities do not necessarily indicate breast disease but must be followed up with a repeat check or referral to a specialist.

A mammography is available as an add on to the advanced health assessment. Find out more about advanced add ons.

Breast awareness instruction: We tell you about self-examination and general awareness of breast appearance and texture. Regular examination can help with early detection of abnormal changes in breast tissue.

Rubella antibodies blood test: Women of a child-bearing age are tested to see if they are immune to Rubella. If the test shows you are not protected from Rubella, we recommend that you arrange with your GP to have a vaccination.

This is not necessary for women who have already had this test elsewhere.
 

Male health tests Hide

Testicular examination: We check for any lumps or masses – if we find any, we refer you to a specialist for further investigation to identify their nature and any treatment you might need.

Testicular awareness instruction: We tell you about self-examination and general awareness of testicular appearance and texture.

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): This can help detect early prostate cancer.

We offer this test to all men aged 50 and over, and also to those aged 45 and over if there is a strong family history of prostate cancer. The results are accurate; however this is not a reliable test for prostate cancer and may miss and/or suggest the presence of a cancer where there is none. Your doctor will discuss this with you.

Read more about prostate cancer
 

Lifestyle tests Hide

Diabetes risk score: We conduct a simple questionnaire looking at areas of your lifestyle that may increase your risk of diabetes. This will enable you to target your risk areas, and by addressing these, reduce the risk of developing diabetes.