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Public release date: 22 July 2008
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Checklist for men to stay healthy at any age
Use the checklist to help you stay healthy at 50+. The checklists help answer your questions about what
daily steps you can take for good health, whether you need medicines to prevent disease, and which screening
tests you need and when to get them.
Daily steps to good health
- Be tobacco free.
- Be physically active.
Walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, and bicycling are just a few examples of moderate physical activity.
Start small and work up to 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
- Eat a healthy diet.
Eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fats,
cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
Balance the calories you eat with your activities and check periodically if you start to gain or lose weight.
- Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation.
Have no more than two drinks a day if you are 65 or younger. If you are older than 65, have no more than one drink a day.
Medicines for preventing disease
Aspirin: Ask your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease if you are:
1. Older than 45
2. Younger than 45 and:
- Have high blood pressure.
- Have high cholesterol.
- Have diabetes.
- Smoke.
Immunizations: Stay up-to-date with your immunizations:
1. Have a flu shot every year starting at age 50. If you are younger than 50, ask your doctor whether you need a flu shot.
2. Have a pneumonia shot once after you turn 65. If you are younger, ask your doctor whether you need a pneumonia shot.
Screening tests for men; checklist
Screening tests can find diseases early when they are easier to treat. Use the following checklist when
talk to your doctor about which ones apply to you and when and how often you should be tested.
Obesity: Have your body mass index (BMI) calculated to screen for obesity. (BMI is a measure of body fat
based on height and weight.)
High Cholesterol: Have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 35. If you are younger than 35, talk to your doctor about whether to have your cholesterol checked if:
- You have diabetes.
- You have high blood pressure.
- Heart disease runs in your family.
- You smoke.
High Blood Pressure: Have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
Colorectal Cancer: Have a test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you may need to be screened earlier.
Diabetes: Have a test for diabetes if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Depression: Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. If you have felt "down," sad, or hopeless over the last 2 weeks or have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things, you may be depressed. Talk to your doctor about being screened for depression.
Sexually Transmitted Infections: Talk to your doctor to see whether you should be tested for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted infections.
HIV: Talk to your doc about HIV screening if you:
- Have had sex with men since 1975.
- Have had unprotected sex with multiple partners.
- Have used or now use injection drugs.
- Exchange sex for money or drugs or have sex partners who do.
- Have past or present sex partners HIV-infected, are bisexual, use injection drugs.
- Are being treated for sexually transmitted diseases.
- Had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. If you are between the ages of 65 and 75 and have ever smoked (100 or more cigarettes during your lifetime), you need to be screened once for abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is an abnormally large or swollen blood vessel in your abdomen.
Screening Test Checklist
Take this checklist with you to your doctor's office. Write down when you have any of the tests
below. Talk to your doctor about your test results and write them down here. Ask when you should
have the test next. Write down the month and year. If you think of questions for the doctor, write
them down and bring them to your next visit.
| Test |
Last Test
(mo/yr) |
Results |
Next Test Due
(mo/yr) |
Questions for the Doctor |
Weight
(BMI) |
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Cholesterol
Total: |
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HDL
(good): |
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LDL
(bad): |
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| Blood pressure |
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| Colorectal cancer |
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| Diabetes |
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| Sexually transmitted diseases |
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| HIV infection |
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Abdominal aortic aneurysm
(one-time test) |
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Checklist source:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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