Rachel booked herself onto the Norfolk NHS Health Checks once she saw that they were being offered. She knew that she had developed bad habits around diet and exercise that had led to her being overweight. At her current age, she was concerned about what this would mean for her health, so she wanted to address this.

The NHS Health Check is a free check-up of your overall health. It can tell you whether you're at higher risk of getting certain health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke. The higher your risk score, the more likely you are to develop one of these illnesses.

“When I first booked my NHS Health Check, I was expecting statistics and to be offered practical support, which I found, but did not expect to be challenged. I have been really encouraged throughout my journey and found ways to support my health that work for me. Life can frequently get in the way, so I have learnt to reset my routine, get back to basics and not give up. After seeing the progress I was making, my husband is now also following these goals, so we do it together.”

The NHS Health Check gives you an opportunity to sit down with a health professional and talk about your health. There's good evidence that spending time with a doctor or another healthcare professional to discuss exercise and other lifestyle issues can have real long-term benefits.

“Moving forwards, I am going to keep aware of research on diet so that I can make further changes to mine if needed and keep on my new current routine. Since completing my first health check, I have dropped from 89.2 kg to 82.6 kg through changing some of my bad habits. I feel so much better for eating well and being more active. So, for anyone wondering if this is the right things for them, go for it!”

If you are eligible and would like to book an NHS Health Check, click here or call 0808 175 0413