BENU has started offering an extensive health check in more than 35 pharmacies. This check gives people direct insight into their health situation. The pharmacies thus contribute to the improvement of good health and lifestyle. This fits in with the new vision with which BENU is developing as a health coach.
Health check
The health check tests health through questions and measurements on ten important components, including blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, belly circumference in blood sugar level. In addition, extra attention is paid to prevention of the metabolic syndrome. This is a combination of metabolic complaints that is increasingly common in the Netherlands (now 3.5 million people). It is an important cause of (chronic) lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. After the check, customers receive a personal health report and expert advice for a better lifestyle.
The Dutch are increasingly unhealthy
An unhealthy lifestyle is a major cause of diseases (including COVID-19). Metabolic syndrome is the first indicator of deteriorating health. Obesity is usually the next stage, which in turn is an important cause of various serious conditions.
BENU therefore also focuses on reducing obesity in health checks by providing advice for a healthy lifestyle. In the Netherlands, 7.3 million people are currently overweight, 2.0 million of which are seriously overweight. If no active lifestyle improvement is done, the number of overweight people will grow to 11.8 million by 2040.
Pharmacist as health coach
The health check is now available in more than 35 pharmacies throughout the Netherlands. Joeri Arkink, pharmacist BENU Pharmacy Koning & Mooij, Bussum: “As a pharmacist I want to contribute to people’s health. The results of the test period indicate that serious health gains can be achieved. 20% of the customers had the metabolic syndrome and more than half had elevated cholesterol. ”
BENU is gradually rolling out the new health service to more locations in order to achieve national coverage.
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