DETROIT – Do you remember your childhood address? Your best friend’s birthday? Some numbers are just ingrained in our brains, but when it comes to numbers that impact our health, a new survey finds many Americans would fail that quiz.
- What’s your blood pressure?
- How about your ideal weight?
- What’s your last cholesterol level?
- Or your blood sugar?
These are all numbers that hold important clues about your heart health, but few Americans actually know them.
Erica Hutson hadn’t seen her doctor in a while. But as a young, healthy woman, she wasn’t worried.
“When I went in to do my wellness check, doing all of the normal things, along with the blood test, and then got my numbers back and I had high cholesterol,” Hutson said. “It surprised my doctor. It surprised me. I was active, I played sports, I thought I was eating healthy.”
A new survey by Ohio State finds while 56% of Americans know their parent’s phone number, just 35% know their blood pressure and 44% can name their ideal weight.
Just 16% know their cholesterol levels and 15% their blood sugar.
“Patients really need to be proactive in their care and to know what their numbers are, look at the trends,” said Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a cardiologist.
Mehta said it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor.
“When their blood pressure’s checked, they should ask, ‘What was my blood pressure and what was it like last time?’ Or, ‘What was my weight?’” Mehta said.
Knowing if your numbers are within a healthy range can be lifesaving.
“It’s not just knowing the number. That’s half the battle,” Mehta said. “Then the other half is like, ‘What do I do to improve this?’”
Medication and healthy habits are helping Hutson to keep her cholesterol down. After learning her condition was driven by genetics, she hopes her kids will also be proactive about their health.
“It makes me feel good that I’m looking out for myself,” Hutson said. “I want to be a good role model for my children. I want them to be cautious of their heart health as well.”
You can find out these numbers during a wellness check with your doctor. If you had a recent visit, they will already be in your medical record.
But knowing them -- and if they’re changing -- is key to truly participating in your health care.
More: Heart Month