5 Numbers You Should Know After 50

You probably know your weight.

You might know your trouser size.

And there’s a reasonable chance you can remember your car’s mileage, your mortgage rate and exactly how much a pint costs these days.

But do you know your blood pressure?

Your cholesterol?

Your HbA1c?

After 50, there are a handful of health numbers that are worth knowing — not because we need another thing to worry about, but because they can tell us far more about what is happening inside our bodies than the number on the bathroom scales.

Think of it as a midlife health MOT.

No obsession. No expensive health retreat. No need to suddenly start living on kale and running marathons.

Just five useful numbers that can help you understand where you are now — and where a few changes might make a genuine difference.

What is a midlife health MOT?

A midlife health MOT is a simple check of some of the major markers associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health as we get older.

In England, the NHS offers an NHS Health Check to eligible adults aged 40 to 74, generally every five years. It is designed to identify increased risk of conditions including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.

But whether you have an NHS Health Check or arrange tests another way, understanding your own results matters.

So here are five numbers worth knowing.

1. Your blood pressure

High blood pressure is generally considered to be 140/90 mmHg or higher when measured by a healthcare professional, or 135/85 mmHg or higher when measured at home.

Blood pressure is one of those things that's very easy to ignore because high blood pressure often doesn't make you feel ill.

You can be walking around, working, travelling, exercising and generally feeling fine while your blood pressure is higher than it should be.

That's precisely why it's worth checking.

The first number in a blood pressure reading is your systolic pressure — the pressure when your heart pumps blood around your body.

The second is your diastolic pressure — the pressure when your heart relaxes between beats.

So if somebody tells you their blood pressure is "120 over 80", that's what those two numbers mean.

One high reading doesn't necessarily mean you have hypertension. Blood pressure varies, and your doctor may want repeated home readings or 24-hour monitoring before confirming a diagnosis.

Why blood pressure matters after 50

Persistently high blood pressure puts additional strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs.

Over time, untreated high blood pressure can increase your risk of serious conditions including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

The good news is that blood pressure is relatively easy to check.

You don't necessarily need to wait for a routine doctor's appointment. Home monitors are widely available, and blood-pressure checks are also available through some pharmacies and NHS services.

Reset question: Do you know what your blood pressure was the last time it was measured?

If the answer is "no idea", that's probably a number worth finding out.

Read the NHS guidance on high blood pressure.

2. Your cholesterol

Useful reference point for a healthy adult: total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L.

Cholesterol has had a bad reputation for years, but the story is a little more complicated than "cholesterol = bad".

Your cholesterol test can include several measurements.

• Total cholesterol
• HDL cholesterol — often called "good" cholesterol
• Non-HDL cholesterol
• Sometimes LDL cholesterol and triglycerides

For healthy adults, the NHS gives a general guide of:

Total cholesterol: below 5 mmol/L
HDL: above 1.0 mmol/L for men and 1.2 mmol/L for women
Non-HDL cholesterol: below 4 mmol/L

But don't get too hung up on one isolated number.

Your GP can look at cholesterol alongside factors such as your age, blood pressure and existing health conditions to estimate your overall cardiovascular risk.

That's much more useful than simply deciding that one cholesterol number is "good" or "bad".

Why cholesterol matters after 50

Our risk of cardiovascular disease generally increases with age.

Knowing your cholesterol gives you another piece of the jigsaw.

And if it is moving in the wrong direction, there are things that can be discussed with your healthcare professional — from food and exercise to medication where appropriate.

This isn't about trying to achieve a perfect laboratory report.

It's about understanding your risk.

See the NHS guide to cholesterol levels.

3. Your HbA1c — the blood sugar number many people have never heard of

If you've never heard of HbA1c, you're certainly not alone.

But this may be one of the most useful numbers on the list.

HbA1c is a blood test that provides an indication of your average blood glucose level over approximately the previous two to three months.

Unlike checking your blood sugar at one particular moment, it provides a longer-term picture.

As a general UK guide:

Below 42 mmol/mol: below the high-risk or prediabetes range
42–47 mmol/mol: high-risk range, often called prediabetes
48 mmol/mol or above: diabetes range

There is an important qualification to that last figure.

If you don't have symptoms of diabetes and an HbA1c test is 48 mmol/mol or above, the test should normally be repeated to confirm the diagnosis.

Why does HbA1c matter after 50?

Because type 2 diabetes doesn't necessarily appear overnight.

Blood glucose control can gradually deteriorate, often without obvious symptoms.

Discovering that you're moving towards the higher-risk range gives you something extremely valuable:

Time to do something about it.

Changes to body weight where appropriate, physical activity and diet can all play a role in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

This is exactly what preventative health should be about.

Not waiting until something goes wrong.

Finding the warning lights while we still have an opportunity to act.

Read Diabetes UK guidance on HbA1c and diabetes diagnosis.

4. Your waist-to-height ratio

Forget the perfect six-pack.

This measurement is about something much more important.

Try to keep your waist circumference below half your height.

That's the simple message from NICE.

For example, if you're 180 cm tall, you'd be aiming for a waist measurement below 90 cm.

The calculation is easy:

Waist circumference ÷ height = waist-to-height ratio

So:

90 cm ÷ 180 cm = 0.5

For adults with a BMI below 35, NICE classifies waist-to-height ratios as:

0.4–0.49: healthy central adiposity
0.5–0.59: increased central adiposity and increased health risk
0.6 or above: high central adiposity and further increased health risk

Why can waist-to-height ratio be useful after 50?

Because where we carry body fat matters.

Higher levels of central adiposity are associated with conditions including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

And this is one reason simply watching your body weight can be misleading.

Imagine someone starts strength training.

They lose some abdominal fat, gain some muscle and become considerably fitter.

The bathroom scales might barely move.

Their waist measurement could tell a completely different story.

So rather than allowing one number on the scales to determine whether you're "doing well", consider measuring something that tells you more about your health.

For many of us, waist-to-height ratio is a useful place to start.

Read the NICE guidance on waist-to-height ratio.

5. Your weekly activity: 150 + 2

The final number isn't something you'll find on a blood test.

It's something you can influence every week.

Adults should aim for at least:

150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week

or

75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity

alongside activities that strengthen the major muscle groups on at least two days each week.

Hence our final number:

150 + 2

And here's the important part.

You don't have to become a runner.

You don't have to join a gym.

And you certainly don't have to start training like you did when you were 25.

Brisk walking counts.

Cycling counts.

Swimming counts.

Resistance bands can build strength.

Weights count.

Bodyweight exercises count.

Even heavy gardening can contribute.

The objective after 50 isn't to punish our bodies for getting older.

It's to keep using them.

And if you're over 65?

There's another important piece of the puzzle.

The NHS recommends that adults aged 65 and over include activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days each week, as well as remaining physically active every day.

That's increasingly important because maintaining strength, balance and physical function can help us remain independent as we get older.

The goal isn't simply living longer.

It's remaining capable enough to enjoy those extra years.

See NHS physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.

See NHS physical activity guidelines for adults aged 65 and over.

What health checks should you have after 50?

If you're wondering what health checks you should have after 50, start by understanding some of the basic markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Know your:

• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• HbA1c and blood glucose risk
• Waist-to-height ratio
• Physical activity level

Depending on your sex, medical history, family history, symptoms and individual risk factors, there may be other screening and health checks that are appropriate too.

That's a conversation worth having with your GP or healthcare professional rather than relying on a generic internet checklist.

And if you're aged 40 to 74 in England and eligible for the NHS Health Check, you would normally be offered one every five years.

Find out more about the NHS Health Check.

The Reset Health MOT

Here's the bit worth saving.

These aren't scores.

And they're certainly not a competition.

They're information.

Your personal targets may be different if you have an existing medical condition, take medication or have other risk factors, so results should always be interpreted in context by an appropriate healthcare professional.

The Reset Takeaway

We spend a lot of our younger years assuming health is something we'll deal with later.

Then later arrives.

The mistake is thinking that looking after ourselves after 50 requires a complete reinvention.

It usually doesn't.

Start by knowing where you are.

Know your blood pressure.

Know your cholesterol.

Understand your blood sugar.

Measure your waist occasionally.

And keep moving — including doing something that makes your muscles work.

Five numbers.

That's your starting point.

Because the aim of a midlife health MOT isn't to discover whether you're ageing.

We can save you the test.

You are.

The point is to make sure you're giving yourself the best possible chance of ageing well.

And that's a very different thing.

Sources & Further Reading

This article has been checked against current UK health guidance. For more detailed information, visit the original sources below.

• NHS — High blood pressure
• NHS — Blood pressure test
• NHS — Cholesterol levels
• NICE — Waist-to-height ratio and central adiposity guidance
• Diabetes UK — HbA1c and diagnostic criteria
• NHS — Physical activity guidelines for adults
• NHS — Physical activity guidelines for older adults
• NHS — NHS Health Check

The Reset provides general health and wellbeing information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.