5 Health Numbers Every Man Should Know (And How to Improve Them)

By The Redeemer Sports

Some of the most common risks to men’s health develop quietly. You cannot feel your cholesterol. You usually cannot feel high blood pressure. By the time some conditions cause symptoms, they have often been building for years.

Knowing a handful of basic numbers gives you a clearer picture of your own risk and better questions to bring to a clinician. Two honest notes before the list. First, this is general education, not a promise: no single result, normal or not, settles your health on its own. Second, not everyone needs the same tests on the same schedule. Which tests make sense for you, and how often, is a decision to personalize with a qualified clinician.

With that said, here are five numbers worth knowing.

Key takeaways

• Blood pressure: about 1 in 2 US men (50.8%) had hypertension in Aug 2021-Aug 2023 data, and it usually has no symptoms.
• Cholesterol: 86.4 million US adults had high or borderline-high total cholesterol in 2017-2020.
• Blood sugar (A1C): screening is recommended for adults 35-70 who have overweight or obesity.
• Waist size: over 40 inches for men raises heart disease and type 2 diabetes risk.
• Movement: the weekly target is 150 moderate minutes plus 2 strengthening days; only 28.3% of men met both in 2020 data.

The five numbers in detail

1. Blood pressure

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, and measuring it is the only way to know you have it. That matters because it is common: in CDC survey data collected from August 2021 through August 2023, 50.8% of US men age 18 and older had hypertension, meaning measured high blood pressure or taking medication for it.

The American Heart Association groups readings into categories:

• Normal: less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic (both)
• Elevated: 120-129 systolic and less than 80 diastolic
• Stage 1 hypertension: 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic
• Stage 2 hypertension: 140 or higher systolic, or 90 or higher diastolic

If you check your blood pressure at home, a few habits make the reading more meaningful: use a validated device, rest seated for a few minutes first, and take readings more than once on different days rather than reacting to a single number. One reading, at home or at a kiosk, is not a diagnosis. Only a doctor or other medical professional can confirm high blood pressure, so bring your readings to a clinician for interpretation.

2. Cholesterol

High cholesterol has no symptoms, so a blood test is the only way to know your levels. The test, called a lipid profile, measures LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. It is common territory: from 2017 to 2020, 86.4 million US adults age 20 or older had high or borderline high total cholesterol (200 mg/dL or above).

How often should you test? CDC guidance says most healthy adults should have their cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years, and people with heart disease, diabetes, or a family history of high cholesterol need checks more often. The 2018 ACC/AHA guideline bases cholesterol management on your overall cardiovascular risk, not a single number, so results are best interpreted with a health care professional. You may be asked to fast for 8 to 12 hours before the blood draw, so ask how to prepare.

3. Blood sugar (A1C)

An A1C test reflects your average blood sugar over roughly three months. It is one of the standard ways to detect prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, along with fasting glucose and the oral glucose tolerance test. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults aged 35 to 70 who have overweight or obesity, and suggests considering screening earlier for people in groups with higher diabetes prevalence. For adults with a normal result, screening about every three years is described as a reasonable approach. Whether and when you should be screened is a clinician conversation, not a blanket rule.

4. Waist size

If most of your fat sits around your waist rather than your hips, you face a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. NHLBI guidance says a waist circumference over 40 inches for men increases that risk. Measuring is simple: stand, place a tape measure around your middle just above your hipbones, and measure just after you breathe out. In CDC survey data collected from August 2021 through August 2023, 39.2% of US men age 20 and older had obesity. Waist size is a number you can track over time, and a clinician can interpret it alongside your other risk factors.

5. Weekly movement minutes

Federal guidelines say adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, such as a brisk walk, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week. In CDC data published for 2020, 28.3% of US men met both the aerobic and the muscle-strengthening guidelines. If you are far from those targets, the same CDC guidance has an encouraging starting point: some physical activity is better than none, and any amount of movement carries some benefit. The right amount also depends on your health and abilities, so scale it with a clinician if you have conditions that limit activity.

The bottom line

Five numbers worth knowing: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, waist size, and weekly movement minutes. They will not guarantee anything, and they are not a substitute for care. They are a starting point for awareness and for better conversations with a clinician who can personalize testing and follow-up to you.

A note before you act: This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Talk with a qualified clinician about your own numbers and screening decisions.

Frequently asked questions

How often should men get their cholesterol checked?

CDC guidance says most healthy adults should have their cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years. People with heart disease, diabetes, or a family history of high cholesterol need checks more often, so your own interval is a clinician conversation.

Can I rely on a home blood pressure reading?

Home readings are useful, but one reading is not a diagnosis. Use a validated device, rest seated for a few minutes, and take readings on different days – then bring them to a doctor or other medical professional for interpretation.

Who should be screened for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes?

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for adults aged 35 to 70 who have overweight or obesity, and suggests considering it earlier for people in groups with higher diabetes prevalence. Whether and when you should be screened is personal – ask a clinician.

How much weekly exercise do adults need?

Federal guidelines call for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week (or 75 minutes vigorous) plus muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week. If you are far from that, the CDC’s starting point applies: some physical activity is better than none.

Sources

• CDC, FastStats: Men’s Health (hypertension 50.8% and obesity 39.2%, surveys Aug 2021-Aug 2023; activity guideline adherence 28.3%, 2020 data; leading causes of death, 2024): https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mens-health.htm
• American Heart Association, Understanding Blood Pressure Readings (categories; measurement and diagnosis notes): https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings
• CDC, Testing for Cholesterol (no symptoms; lipid profile; 86.4 million adults 2017-2020; check every 4-6 years; fasting note): https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/testing/index.html
• US Preventive Services Task Force, Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Screening (ages 35-70 with overweight or obesity; earlier for higher-prevalence groups; 3-year interval note): https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/screening-for-prediabetes-and-type-2-diabetes
• NHLBI, Aim for a Healthy Weight (waist circumference risk: over 40 inches for men; how to measure): https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-healthy-living/healthy-weight
• CDC, Adult Activity: An Overview (150/75 minutes, 2 days muscle-strengthening, “some is better than none”): https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html

Source pages retrieved October 25, 2026.