A doctor has shared five essential health facts that everybody should know - but the majority remain completely clueless. Dr Luke Powles, Associate Clinical Director at Bupa Health Clinics, warns that this lack of basic health knowledge could cause millions to miss critical early warning signs of serious health issues.

Dr Powles emphasised that all adults should be familiar with their weight, while those facing heightened risks – those who are over 40, are overweight or who smoke and drink excessively – should also know their usual blood pressure reading and cholesterol level. Furthermore, everyone should be aware of their heart health and diabetes risk.

"Knowing your key health markers can help you take control of your health and wellbeing," Dr. Powles said. "When it comes to your health, knowledge is power."

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The warning comes after research involving 2,000 adults, which revealed a concerning lack of health knowledge throughout Britain. It found just 35% know what a normal blood pressure reading is for them, only 7% know their heart health score, and only 12% are aware of their typical maximum heart rate.

What's more, 29% couldn't say how much they weigh, 51% couldn't list their current prescription medications, and 59% don't know their blood type.

Despite this, 56% of those polled said being healthy is 'very important' to them, with 76% claiming to take it seriously.

While a significant majority (82%) believe knowledge is power, only 50% have had a proactive blood pressure check and just 29% have had a cholesterol check.

However, of those who have had an unprompted medical check-up, 30% said it highlighted an issue they were previously unaware of, including anaemia, diabetes, high cholesterol, and even cancer, which might otherwise have led to delayed treatment.

The research, carried out via OnePoll, also revealed that nearly one in four (23%) adults often or always feel anxious about their health, with Gen Z identified as the most concerned generation.

As a result of their worries, 38% of Gen Z adults have resorted to self-diagnosis by searching up symptoms online, compared to only 25% who booked an appointment with a doctor. Others have turned to friends, family, health apps, wearables, or even AI for consultation.

Dr Luke Powles from Bupa Health Clinics, which offers health assessments to inform people about their health and how to support it, added: "Knowing your numbers and what is going on inside your body is often helpful in picking up on changes to your health and early warning signs, which could prevent them from becoming bigger problems.

"Prevention is key when it comes to our health, so understanding and having proactive health checks can make a real difference to staying fit and well.

"If you do notice a change or something out of the ordinary, please do make sure you speak to a healthcare professional."

Five areas of health everyone should monitor: Blood Pressure:

High blood pressure is often a "silent killer" with no warning signs, leading to life-threatening conditions like a heart attack or stroke. A healthy reading is around 120/80mmHg.

Weight:

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of conditions like cancer and diabetes, as well as putting added strain on joints. Regular self-weighing helps track changes.

Heart Health / Conditions:

Poor heart health can cause both short- and long-term issues. Lifestyle factors are key, but heart rhythm screenings and a QRisk3 heart health score assessment can detect irregular heartbeats and estimate heart disease risk.

Cholesterol Level:

High cholesterol often has no symptoms but can lead to serious problems like heart attack and stroke. A blood test is necessary to assess the breakdown of 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol.

Diabetes Risk:

Type 2 diabetes can present no specific symptoms in the early stages and greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. A blood test screens for diabetes, and a Qdiabetes score can identify future risk.