As the medical exam approaches, many decide to moderate their food and alcohol… but only for a while. At the end of the check-up, most return to business as usual.
Health food production and sales company Shizen Shokken, based in the city of Bungotakada (Ōita Prefecture), conducted a survey of 510 men and women between the ages of 20 and 69, with a habit of consuming alcohol, about health awareness before a medical check-up.
43% of those surveyed said they worried about the state of their liver (9% “frequently” and 34% “sometimes”).
Similarly, 43.9% said they “consciously review their drinking habits and lifestyle before the medical checkup” (11.2% “frequently” and 32.7% “from time to time”), almost the same proportion as those who regularly worry about liver health.
Among the 224 people who stated that they “consciously review their habits”, 66.5% mentioned “reducing alcohol consumption” as their main measure. They were followed by “organize eating habits”, with 47.3%, and “increase water consumption”, with 36.2%.
However, 69.2% confessed that they were unable to maintain these new habits after the check-up. The majority return to their usual routine once they have passed the medical check-up.
The most frequently mentioned reasons were: “effort generates stress” (57.4%), “I lose motivation” (42.6%), “I cannot resist hunger or temptations” (31.6%), “it is difficult to make it a habit due to the pace of life” (31.0%), and “the influence of the environment, such as eating and drinking out or family dinners” (24.5%). Despite good intentions, willpower often falters.
In parallel, another survey was conducted with 511 internists, who were asked whether “reducing alcohol consumption just before the checkup” influences the results of liver tests. 39.7% responded “a lot” and 48.0% “to some extent.” That is, almost 9 in 10 believe that even a temporary change can improve test values.
But they also pointed out worrying points: 50.1% warned that a momentary improvement can cause them to lower their guard, and 49.7% considered that the data does not reflect the true habits of the examinee. Many doctors agreed that it is better to go to the check-up leading a normal life, without trying to put on makeup first.
Reference material (in Japanese)
(Header image: Pixta.)
