7 medical tests you may need before turning 40

People in their 20s and 30s may think they’re relatively healthy (and many are.) Yet more than half of adults 18 to 34 have at least one chronic health condition.¹ That’s why it’s important for folks younger than 40 to get health tests and screenings.

“These tests are important because they help to prevent disease — and it’s much better to try to prevent a disease than to try to treat it,” explains Christine Meyer, M.D., an internist in Exton, Pennsylvania. “If someone is at risk of diabetes because their blood sugar is high, we can take steps to reduce those numbers to prevent diabetes from ever happening.”

Keep in mind there’s not a one-size-fits-all testing schedule for everyone. “While some of these baseline screenings are the same for everyone, others depend on factors like family history,” adds Dr. Meyer.

Read on for info about some of the medical screenings that may be right for you in your 20s and 30s.

If you’re between ages 18 and 39 and aren’t at increased risk of high blood pressure, you should get checked routinely at least every 3 to 5 years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If you do have risk factors — or your blood pressure is already elevated — it’s recommended that you get it checked at least once a year.²

“In general, I like to check all of my patients’ blood pressure at their annual physical,” says Dr. Meyer. In fact, she advises everyone to get their blood pressure checked every year.

That’s good advice. Roughly 11% of young adults already have high blood pressure.¹ Even more could have it without knowing, because most of the time high blood pressure doesn’t come with any symptoms. Yet high blood pressure, known as hypertension, can put you at risk of conditions such as heart disease, stroke and kidney damage.³

It’s beneficial to have a baseline cholesterol check at age 20, according to the American Heart Association. If you have elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease or risk factors for high cholesterol, your doctor will likely want you to get checked more often.⁴ Those factors include:⁵

• High cholesterol runs in your family (your parents or siblings have high levels)
• Smoking
• Eating a diet high in saturated and trans fats (such as red meat or overly processed foods)
• Not getting enough exercise
• Having type 2 diabetes

High cholesterol puts you at risk of heart disease because it causes plaque to build up in the arteries, making them narrower. But most people don’t know they have it, since it often has no symptoms.

To screen for it, your primary care provider (PCP) will order a blood test. The lab will measure your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides.⁴

The American Diabetes Association recommends that everyone ages 35 and older get their blood sugar (or glucose) levels checked at least once every 3 years, if the results are normal.⁶

Under 35? You may want to talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar checked regularly if you have risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including:⁷

• Having prediabetes
• Having a close relative (parent or sibling) with diabetes
• Delivering a child heavier than 9 pounds
• Having gestational diabetes during pregnancy
• Being overweight
• Exercising fewer than 3 times a week
• Being a member of a high-risk ethnicity, such as African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander

In the United States, around 38 million people have diabetes, and 1 in 5 don’t even know it.⁶ That’s why it’s important to check for this condition. To do that, your PCP can order a blood test and you’ll probably have to fast overnight to get the most accurate results.

Your blood test will be able to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes. Prediabetes is when blood sugar levels are above normal but can be lowered through lifestyle changes.⁸

You may want to see a dermatologist throughout adulthood so they can do a full body skin check, even if you don’t have risk factors for skin cancer, recommends Dr. Meyer.

If you do have risk factors, then talk to your doctor about setting up yearly skin checks. People have a higher chance of getting skin cancer including if they:⁹

• Have light skin
• Have blue or green eyes
• Sunburn easily
• Have a lot of moles on their bodies or face
• Have a family or personal history of skin cancer

Exposure to the sun may cause damage to your skin, so keep an eye on unusual changes to the skin.

Adults should have a complete exam by an eye doctor — even if they have healthy eyes and 20/20 vision — once in their 20s and twice in their 30s, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.¹⁰

During the exam, an eye doctor will check how sharp your vision is, as well as all the parts of your eye to make sure they’re free of disease or injury.

If you wear glasses or contacts, have diabetes or a family history of eye disease (such as glaucoma), talk to the eye doctor about how often your eyes should be checked. Once you hit 40, you’ll need another complete eye exam.¹⁰

No matter what their age, both men and women should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases regularly if they’re sexually active with multiple partners, advises Dr. Meyer. That includes regular tests for common STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia.¹¹  Other tests to talk to your doctor about include herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis.

Millions of Americans develop STIs every year. And while some STIs produce symptoms, some, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, don’t, especially in women.¹¹

There are different ways to test for STIs, including urine and blood tests, as well as swabs that test fluid from the vagina or penis. All are important to test and treat, especially because certain STDs can cause long-term issues.¹²

About 1 in 5 adults in the United States has a mental health issue.¹³ You may have a higher chance of developing a mental health condition if you have several risk factors, including¹⁴

• Mental health issues such as anxiety run in your family.
• You’ve had a stressful event, such as a car accident.
• You had a traumatic childhood or had abusive parents.
• You don’t get enough sleep.
• You have a substance abuse problem with alcohol or drugs.
• You put yourself down or have negative thoughts, which can lead to depression or anxiety.

Think of these screenings as a way to stay on top of your health. Any one of these tests may help catch an illness or disease early, before it becomes a serious issue. Talk to your doctor about screenings that make most sense for you.