Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
I went for a comprehensive health checkup the other day!
Have you ever wondered, “Why do health checkups include those specific items?”
They measured my height and weight, drew blood, took X-rays...
It’s like, “What on earth can you really tell from that?” lol
Also, at our company,Comprehensive health checkups are mandatory for people aged 40 and olderI've set it to that.
There's a good reason for this.
Minimum Items Required for Health Examinations Under the Law
The basis for this isOccupational Safety and Health Regulations, Article 44 (Periodic Health Examinations)That's it.
Employers must ensure that their regular employees undergo medical examinations covering the following items at least once a year:ObligationThere is.
- Review of Medical and Employment History
- Confirmation of Subjective and Objective Symptoms
- Height, Weight, Waist Circumference, Vision, Hearing
- Chest X-ray (plus sputum test)
- Blood Pressure Measurement
- Anemia Test (Hemoglobin Level, Red Blood Cell Count)
- Liver Function Tests (GOT, GPT, γ-GTP)
- Blood Lipid Tests (LDL Cholesterol, etc.)
- Blood Glucose Test
- Urinalysis (Glucose and Protein)
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) Test
Are you doing all of these?
There’s no company that would just do a chest X-ray and check your blood pressure and call it a day… right? lol
Please do your best!
What does that item tell us?
To put it simply, here's how it works.
Blood Pressure→Understand the risks of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. This is the one that’s skyrocketing without any noticeable symptoms.
Liver Function (GOT, GPT, γ-GTP)→ Liver damage. Early detection of excessive drinking, fatty liver, and hepatitis. The workplace drinking culture is really dangerous, lol.
Blood Lipids and Blood Sugar→ The stage of atherosclerosis and diabetes. This is your only chance to catch it before your blood vessels become blocked.
Waist Circumference→ Determining visceral fat-type obesity. Men with a waist circumference of 85 cm or more are diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The food at work is really good, though, lol.
Chest X-ray→ Recognize the signs of lung cancer, tuberculosis, and pneumoconiosis. Spray painters, for example, are constantly breathing in dust... Make sure your mask meets JIS standards.
Urinalysis→ Check for kidney damage and diabetes. Abnormalities often appear in the urine before they show up in the blood.
Why Do Symptoms Suddenly Appear Starting at Age 40?
There is a medical basis for this.
I remember reading that in a book a long time ago! That’s why our company has required comprehensive health checkups for employees aged 40 and older ever since.
According to various statistics from the National Cancer Center and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare,The prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) rises sharply among people in their 40s and olderI will.
*Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
There are three main reasons.
①Decrease in Basal Metabolic Rate: Until my 30s, I could burn off what I ate, to a certain extent. But once I hit my 40s, I can't burn it all off anymore.
②Changes in Hormonal Balance: Even in men, testosterone (the male hormone) gradually declines starting in their 40s. Muscle mass decreases, and it becomes easier to accumulate fat.
③Progressive Atherosclerosis: The gradual deterioration of blood vessels that has been occurring throughout one’s 20s and 30s becomes apparent as “symptoms” in one’s 40s.
What makes this so scary is that,It progresses without causing any pain or itchingThat's the point.
That's why the government has been doing this since 2008"Specific Health Checkups (Metabolic Syndrome Screenings)" for people aged 40 to 74...is required.
(Article 18 of the Act on Ensuring Medical Care for the Elderly)
Why Our Company Requires Comprehensive Health Screenings
The items included in routine health checkups represent the “minimum requirements.”
In addition to that, during a comprehensive health checkup,Gastroscopy, Abdominal Ultrasound, Tumor Markers, Carotid Artery Ultrasoundand so on.
The people who are putting their bodies on the line out in the field end up cracking from the inside out.
This is the scariest!
Personally, I’m all for employees working together for the rest of their lives! (I don’t know if that’s a good idea, though lol)
That’s exactly why it’s important for them to stay healthy. (After all, they have their own lives to live.)
And I’m determined to create jobs suited for older people as I get older—and to keep them employed for real, right up until they die! ^^
Of course, the company covers the costs, and since the checkups are considered part of work, everyone feels free to go for their comprehensive health screenings!!
Your body is your most valuable asset. It really is.
Let’s have a thorough checkup for the body that’s worked hard on the job for 30 years. Let’s make sure to get a thorough checkup every year.
If you'd like, I think it would be fine to have any areas of concern checked once every six months.
If you’re just going through the motions of your health checkup as a mere “obligation,” try taking a close look at your test results just once.
In our case, physical dimensions fall under dimensional control, and inspection results fall under quality control lol
Let's go all out with our physical conditioning, too!
See you later.
