YOUR HEALTH IQ
YOUR HEALTH IQ JOURNEY
PILLAR 1 • PREVENTATIVE HEALTH • LESSON 3 OF 6
4 MIN READ • BEGINNER • PREVENTATIVE IQ
Understanding Your Health Risks
Every person has a unique combination of factors that influence their future health. Some risks, such as your age and family history, cannot be changed. Others, including smoking, physical activity, nutrition and blood pressure, can often be improved. Understanding your personal risk is the first step towards making informed decisions that support lifelong health.
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, you should be able to:
✅ Distinguish between modifiable and non-modifiable health risks.
✅ Identify common lifestyle factors that influence long-term health.
✅ Recognise how small changes can reduce your future risk of chronic disease.
What Is a Health Risk?
A health risk is anything that increases your chance of developing illness or injury. Some risks have a small effect, while others have a much greater influence on your future health.
Many health risks work together. For example, being physically inactive, carrying excess weight and having high blood pressure can all increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Understanding your individual risk factors allows you and your healthcare team to focus on the areas that are most likely to improve your long-term health.
Knowing your risks does not mean you will develop disease. Instead, it provides an opportunity to take positive action before problems occur.
Why this matters
Understanding your health risks helps you make informed decisions and focus on the changes that will have the greatest impact on your future health.
Risks You Cannot Change
Some health risks are outside your control. These include your age, biological sex and family history. While these factors cannot be changed, they are important because they help determine which health checks and screening tests may be recommended.
For example, a strong family history of bowel cancer or breast cancer may mean screening should begin earlier than usual. Similarly, age influences when many preventive health checks become appropriate.
Knowing your non-modifiable risks allows your GP to personalise your preventive healthcare.
Why this matters
Although you cannot change your age or family history, understanding them helps guide earlier detection and personalised preventive care.
Risk Factors You Can Change
Many of the most important health risks can be modified through healthy lifestyle choices.
These include:
• Smoking
• Physical inactivity
• Poor nutrition
• Excess alcohol
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Excess body weight
• Poor sleep
• Chronic stress
Improving even one of these areas can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. You do not need to make every change at once. Consistent, sustainable improvements are far more effective than trying to change everything overnight.
Why this matters
Small improvements made consistently over time often produce the greatest long-term health benefits.
Know Your Numbers
Many important health risks cannot be felt. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and early type 2 diabetes often develop without symptoms.
Knowing your numbers allows you and your GP to identify potential problems early and monitor your progress over time.
Useful measurements include:
• Blood pressure
• Waist circumference
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Blood glucose
• Cholesterol
These results are only one part of your overall health, but together they help build a clearer picture of your future risk.
Why this matters
Knowing your numbers allows you to take action before silent risk factors become serious health problems.
Taking the First Step
Understanding your health risks should feel empowering rather than overwhelming. Every positive change you make contributes to your future health.
You do not need to be perfect. The goal is to make realistic improvements that you can maintain over many years.
Working with your GP can help you prioritise which changes are likely to have the greatest impact based on your personal circumstances.
Preventative healthcare is a journey of continuous improvement, not perfection.
Why this matters
The best time to reduce your future health risks is today. Every positive step moves you closer to a healthier future.
Key Takeaways
✅ Everyone has a unique combination of health risks.
✅ Some health risks cannot be changed, but many can be improved.
✅ Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of multiple chronic diseases.
✅ Knowing your health numbers helps detect silent risk factors early.
✅ Small, consistent improvements have a powerful long-term impact.
Knowledge Check
Question 1
Which of the following is an example of a non-modifiable health risk?
A. Smoking
B. High blood pressure
C. Family history
D. Physical inactivity
Question 2
Which lifestyle factor can reduce the risk of multiple chronic diseases?
A. Smoking
B. Regular physical activity
C. Ignoring health checks
D. Excess alcohol consumption
Question 3
Why is it important to know your blood pressure and cholesterol?
A. They always cause symptoms.
B. They help identify silent health risks early.
C. They replace the need for healthy lifestyle choices.
D. They only matter after age 70.
Question 4
Which statement is TRUE?
A. Only older adults have health risks.
B. You need to change every lifestyle habit at once.
C. Small, consistent improvements can significantly improve long-term health.
D. Family history determines your future health completely.
Question 5
Emma is 42 years old with a family history of heart disease. She wants to improve her future health. What is the BEST next step?
A. Wait until symptoms develop.
B. Discuss her personal risk factors and recommended preventive health checks with her GP.
C. Assume she will develop heart disease because it runs in her family.
D. Ignore her family history because she feels well.
Answers are provided at the end of the downloadable lesson summary.
Lesson Complete
Congratulations! You've completed Lesson 3 of 6 in the Preventative Health pathway.
You're building your Health IQ one lesson at a time.
PATIENT HANDOUT
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Ready for Lesson 4?
In the next lesson, you'll learn how screening and preventive health checks can detect
disease early,improve treatment outcomes and help you stay healthier for longer.
Continue to Lesson 4 →
Remember
Your Health IQ provides education to help you better understand your health and prepare for discussions with your healthcare team. It does not replace personalised medical advice. If you have symptoms or concerns about your health, please consult your GP or other qualified healthcare professional.