Impact of annual health check-ups on improvement in hypertension and abnormalities of glucose and lipid metabolism

This study evaluated the 1-year improvement in blood pressure (BP), glucose metabolism (GM), and lipid metabolism (LM) abnormalities detected during health check-ups, and identified factors associated with improvement. This retrospective cohort study used data from a University Health Care Centre between April 2008 and March 2023. Adults with BP, GM, or LM abnormalities at baseline who attended the following year’s check-ups were included. The abnormalities were defined according to the criteria of the Japan Society of Ningen Dock. The primary outcome was improvement in abnormalities at the subsequent check-up, defined as no longer meeting the abnormality criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with improvement. We analysed 2727 participants with BP abnormalities (mean age: 55.4 ± 9.0 years; 71.1% males), 1506 with GM (55.8 ± 8.5 years; 74.9% males), and 3793 with LM (52.4 ± 8.7 years; 61.0% males). Improvement occurred in 57.4% (BP), 29.3% (GM), and 57.5% (LM). Use of corresponding medication at baseline (odds ratios [ORs]: 0.38, 0.33, and 0.14, for BP, GM, and LM, respectively, p < 0.05) and 1-year weight loss (ORs: 1.08, 1.24, and 1.12, respectively, p < 0.05) were associated with improvement across all three domains, whereas use of corresponding medication at the subsequent check-up was associated with improvement in BP and LM (ORs: 2.22 and 14.97, respectively, p < 0.001). In this large health check-up cohort, over half of BP and LM, and approximately one-third of GM abnormalities improved within 1 year. Associations between improvement and both weight reduction and pharmacological treatment highlight the importance of lifestyle modification and timely medical management.