Obesity is one of society’s biggest health problems. Around 19% of children are already overweight or obese. As well as limiting freedom of movement, obesity is a potential cause of numerous non-infectious diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Around 2,400 people in Switzerland get skin cancer every year. At particularly high risk are those with more than 50 moles (melanomas) or fair skin, strawberry blond hair, blue eyes and freckles. If you have moles, keep an eye out for the ABCD warning signs (asymmetry, border, colour and diameter) to spot changes in good time and consult a doctor if necessary.
Women age 20 and over are advised to have a gynaecological checkup every three years. This includes a smear, an ultrasound scan of the reproductive organs, and possibly a mammogram.
There are four key factors in cardiovascular health: blood pressure, blood cholesterol, waistline and blood sugar. From age 35 you should get these things checked out regularly by a doctor so that potential problems can be dealt with early on.
It’s a good idea to start going for regular eye check-ups by age 40 at the latest. As a part of the examination your vision will be tested and your intraocular pressure will be measured. To protect your eyes from too much light, make sure you wear sunglasses with UV protection.
Your hearing can deteriorate with age. From age 50 you should go for routine hearing tests, either from an ear doctor or hearing aid specialist. If you’re not sure whether you need a consultation, you can do this online test (German and French only) to get an idea.