Health Screenings Adults Should Know About at Every Decade of Life

Your twenties are an ideal time to establish baseline health metrics that future providers will reference for years. Key priorities at this stage include:

• Blood pressure: The American Heart Association recommends adults have blood pressure checked at least every two years if readings are normal (below 120/80 mmHg). Hypertension can begin earlier than most people expect.
• Cholesterol: A fasting lipid panel is typically recommended starting at age 20, with frequency guided by results and risk factors.
• Blood glucose: Adults with risk factors for type 2 diabetes — including family history or overweight — may benefit from earlier glucose screening.
• STI screenings: The CDC recommends annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25, and for others based on risk. HIV screening is recommended at least once for all adults aged 15–65.
• Skin checks: Annual self-examination and clinical skin checks are advisable, particularly for those with fair skin or high sun exposure history.

Vaccination status should also be reviewed — some adult vaccines, including Tdap and HPV, are relevant in this decade.

Lifestyle pressures — career demands, parenting, less physical activity — can quietly shift health metrics during the thirties. Continued or increased screening focus in this decade includes:

• Blood pressure and cholesterol: Continue regular monitoring, especially if readings were borderline in your twenties or family history of cardiovascular disease exists.
• Diabetes risk: The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults aged 35–70 who are overweight or have obesity.
• Thyroid function: While universal screening is not routinely recommended, providers may check thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in those with symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, weight changes, or mood shifts.
• Mental health check-ins: Depression screening is recommended by the USPSTF for all adults. Stress, sleep, and anxiety are legitimate health topics to raise with a primary care provider.

Women in their thirties should maintain regular gynecologic care, including cervical cancer screening (Pap smear typically every three years, or every five years combined with HPV testing).

The forties mark a meaningful inflection point in adult preventive care. Several screening recommendations either begin or intensify during this decade:

• Breast cancer screening: The American Cancer Society recommends women begin annual mammograms at age 45, with the option to start at 40. Individual risk factors — including family history or dense breast tissue — may prompt earlier or more frequent screening.
• Blood sugar and metabolic health: Regular fasting glucose or HbA1c testing is important, particularly as metabolic syndrome risk increases with age.
• Eye exams: Adults with no known conditions should begin comprehensive dilated eye exams to check for glaucoma, particularly for those with African American ancestry or a family history of glaucoma, where risk is elevated.
• Skin checks: Dermatologic exams become increasingly valuable as cumulative sun exposure accumulates over decades.

Men in their forties with cardiovascular risk factors should discuss aspirin therapy, statin use, and additional heart health markers with their provider — not to self-prescribe, but to understand their risk profile.

The fifties introduce several high-impact screenings that adults should not delay:

• Colorectal cancer screening: The USPSTF recommends colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 45 for average-risk adults, continuing through age 75. Options include colonoscopy (every ten years), annual stool-based tests, or other approved methods — choice depends on personal preference and provider guidance.
• Lung cancer screening: Annual low-dose CT scans are recommended for adults aged 50–80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
• Bone density (DEXA scan): While routine DEXA screening typically begins at 65 for women, those in their fifties with risk factors — early menopause, long-term steroid use, low body weight — may benefit from earlier assessment.
• Hearing and vision: Gradual changes in both are common by the mid-fifties; regular audiological and ophthalmological assessments are appropriate.

Digestive health also deserves attention at this stage. How gut function shifts across adulthood provides useful context for understanding age-related digestive changes.

As adults enter their sixties and older, screening priorities expand and the frequency of some tests increases:

• Osteoporosis screening: DEXA bone density scanning is recommended for all women at age 65 and for men at elevated risk. Falls and fractures become more consequential with age.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA): A one-time ultrasound screening is recommended for men aged 65–75 who have ever smoked.
• Cognitive health: While there is no universal screening mandate, providers may informally assess memory and cognition during wellness visits. Concerns should be raised proactively.
• Cardiovascular disease: Ongoing lipid and blood pressure monitoring remains essential. Discussions about cardiac event prevention — including medication and lifestyle modifications — are increasingly important.
• Vaccinations: Shingles (Shingrix), pneumococcal pneumonia, and annual influenza vaccines are specifically recommended for older adults. COVID-19 booster guidance should be reviewed with a provider.

Adults managing chronic conditions in this decade benefit greatly from coordinated preventive care across specialists and their primary care provider.