Better Measures
Women's Health South Africa|September - October 2022
Data points like BMI give a rough (read: very rough) sketch of your health. But you and your doc need to delve into the many layers of your everyday life to come up with the complete picture. Go beyond the basics, here.
By Amy Wilkinson
Better Measures

QUICK QUIZ: HOW LONG IS AN AVERAGE DOC’S VISIT IN SA? AND EVEN MORE PRESSINGLY, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Ponder for a minute… The answers are about 20 minutes max and cost R514 on average, per a 2022 Justmoney.co.za survey.

Bottom line is, you’re still likely to spend more time watching a K-Drama episode than you are talking with your doc.

Given the clock-racing nature of a standard check-up, physicians have gotten the process down to, well, a science. A rote and often one-size-fits-all checklist – think data like blood pressure, temperature, and weight – is used to both diagnose and devise a treatment plan. But can a handful of numbers really provide a full view of your health? Or should your next appointment also include a full chat about your life circumstances, like access to fitness or a budget for nutritious foods? Experts are pushing for a more holistic, inclusive approach like the latter in an effort to make everyone healthier. Sure, it’s not a simple switch, but the results? Worth it.

A NUMBERS GAME

Esta historia es de la edición September - October 2022 de Women's Health South Africa.

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Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

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