Numbers at the Doctorâ??s Office: What do They Mean?

What really do all those numbers mean and how much significance should you place on them? We all go in for our yearly check-ups (or at least we should) and we are weighed, measured, poked and prodded. BMI. HDL. Blood sugar. How does one make sense of the figures that are recorded on our charts year after year?

I recently went in for a specific health care evaluation to determine if I could be a participant in my company’s Healthy Blue Living Plan. This is an insurance option for healthy people. It’s controversial. Some people think Big Brother is getting too involved in our personal matters. Honestly, that’s less important to me than the fact that if I fit their criteria, then my prescriptions are cheaper and so is the cost of my doctor appointments.

The first “lifestyle behavior” (as they are termed) concerns smoking. You can enroll in the plan if you are currently smoking but you must agree to join their smoking cessation group. I don’t smoke so I was afforded the full points for this criterion.

The second factor is blood pressure. My BP is 112/68. According to the American Heart Association: “The higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body. The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats.” The optimal range for a healthy adult is anything below 120/80. If your blood pressure is high but you agree to monitor it and take steps to decrease it, you can still be awarded full points for this criterion.

Next is cholesterol. The three numbers here represent the total cholesterol, LDL and HDL. Mine are 188, 117 and 54, respectively. For the total cholesterol, anything under 200 is considered desirable. Once the numbers inch up, you need to take steps to bring it back to an optimal level.

LDL is referred to as the “bad” cholesterol because it signifies build up on your artery walls (a precursor for heart disease). A number less than 100 is ideal and a number between 100 and 129 is optimal. Anything beyond that deserves more attention.

HDL, or “good” cholesterol, takes the LDL out of your artery walls and protects you against heart disease. Anything less than 50 in women puts you at a greater risk for heart disease. (As an aside, my triglycerides were 83. This number has to do with the existing fat in the body, which has been linked to coronary disease. An optimal range is under 150.)

The fourth lifestyle marker is your BMI. Your body mass index is based on your weight in relation to your height. It can be tedious to determine on your own, so places like the CDC have online calculators. At 66 inches tall and 117 pounds, my BMI is 18.8. A “normal” reading falls between 18.5 and 24.9. I am on the low side but that’s partly due to genetics, a mostly vegetarian diet and an intense exercise regimen.

The 5th determinant is acceptable alcohol use. For women this is considered less than 2 drinks a day.

Lastly, there are the fasting blood sugar levels to determine your risk for developing diabetes. It is measured after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. My FBS was 79. Levels up to 100 are considered normal. 100-126 are considered risk factors for Type II diabetes. A number above 126 usually precedes a diagnosis of diabetes.

In addition to these six screening factors, I also had my Vitamin D levels checked since I’ve heard a lot of reports about decreasing levels in many populations. My number was 51 and because it was between 25 and 80, I was considered normal.

Hopefully that explains a few more details about those numbers. Don’t fret if you aren’t always in the optimal range. A variety of factors can influence how your body behaves, such as genetics. Some people are predisposed to high cholesterol or high blood pressure or they are born with diabetes. However, you should always strive to maintain a lifestyle of balance in regards to your eating habits, time spent on exercise and your alcohol use. After all, this is the only body you will ever own – treat it well. May you live long and prosper.

Written by Alexandra M. Haller