19.02.2026

Health check-up in your forties: what do doctors actually recommend?

Nothing suddenly breaks down at 40. Yet something changes. It is often at this age that we begin to experience persistent fatigue, slower recovery times, weight gain and increased sensitivity to stress. These subtle signs reflect profound changes in our bodies.

According to Professor Pierre-Olivier Lang, Medical Director of the Clinique de Genolier and Medical Coordinator of check-ups, your forties are a key time to take stock of your overall health, even — and especially — when you feel in good shape.

What is a health check-up?

It is a preventive health assessment for people who appear to be in good health. Rather than responding to symptoms, it is about anticipating them. The examination programme is personalised according to factors such as age, gender, personal and family medical history, and lifestyle. The aim is to identify any imbalances or risk factors that could affect quality of life, mobility, or health in the medium to long term as early as possible.

Although there is no set age for your first check-up, your forties are a good time to start. Before then, unless you have specific circumstances or a history of health issues, a thorough check-up is often premature. However, around the age of 40, the first biological changes make it entirely appropriate to have a health check-up.

40 years old: the turning point in biological terms

Even if you experience no sudden changes as you approach your forties, this decade marks the beginning of many physiological changes. Your basal metabolic rate decreases by around 5 to 10% per decade. In practical terms, this means that your body will consume fewer calories for the same level of activity. If your eating habits and level of physical activity are not adjusted, this can lead to weight gain, particularly in the form of fat.

This increase in adipose tissue is not insignificant. It disrupts sugar and fat metabolism, promoting the onset of disorders such as insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia and ultimately, diabetes. These phenomena are partly linked to hormonal changes, such as a gradual decline in testosterone in men and a decrease in growth hormone in both sexes.

At the same time, changes occur in the cardiovascular system. Arteries become stiffer, blood pressure rises and cardiovascular risk factors gradually develop. Cognitively, there is a decrease in information processing speed, increased fatigue, and greater sensitivity to stress.

Sleep also changes, with more light sleep, more frequent night-time awakenings, and less effective recovery. In women, cycles can become irregular well before the menopause. In men, meanwhile, hormonal decline gradually affects muscle mass, bone density and flexibility.

Why get a check-up when you're feeling healthy?

The main benefit of the 40-year-old health check is that it enables these silent changes to be monitored early on. Key parameters such as blood pressure, lipid profile, blood sugar, body composition, thyroid function and certain vitamin deficiencies (particularly vitamin D) can be monitored.

Functional tests, such as stress tests, assess cardio-respiratory capacity and endurance, providing a more comprehensive evaluation than simply screening for diseases.

The check-up also includes the first recommended cancer screenings, such as for colorectal cancer in both women and men, and for breast cancer in women.

This check-up provides an ideal opportunity to prioritise your health and take action for the future. It enables you to adopt good daily habits to prevent the onset of certain disorders based on personalised advice.

Photograph of a preventive medical check-up being carried out by a doctor on a patient

This will be subject to a medical examination:

Key parameters to monitor: Blood pressure, lipid profile, blood sugar, body composition
Other monitoring: Thyroid function, vitamin deficiencies
Functional tests (stress tests)
Initial cancer screening

Which medical tests are useful for people aged 40?

At this age, tests should be targeted and relevant. Blood tests examine major metabolic processes, while imaging focuses on the arteries, heart, lungs and liver — particularly for screening fatty liver disease. Cardio-respiratory tests provide an overall assessment

Conversely, performing multiple invasive or costly tests without clear indications is of no benefit. Some advanced imaging tests carry risks, such as exposure to X-rays and contrast agents, that are not justified in the absence of warning signs. Prevention also requires moderation and accuracy.

What issues might a check-up at the age of 40 reveal?

The most common issues identified are imbalances concerning metabolism, joints, stress, sleep and certain risky behaviours, such as alcohol and tobacco consumption. Emotional and professional issues are also common in a society that prioritises performance.

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are rare at this age, except in cases of a family history of these conditions. The purpose of the check-up is to intervene before these conditions manifest, with the aim of preserving health and quality of life 15 to 20 years later.

Key differences between women and men

Picture of a couple undergoing a health check

A check-up cannot be the same for women and men. Biological, hormonal and genetic differences influence risk factors, symptoms and responses to treatment. Added to this are social factors and historical biases in medical research, which has long focused on male populations.

For example, women have a more reactive immune system, which offers better protection against certain infections but increases the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Many conditions, such as heart attacks, present differently depending on gender, necessitating a personalised clinical and preventive approach.

What happens after the check-up

It is just a starting point. Its effectiveness depends on your personal commitment to gradually implementing the resulting recommendations. The follow-up is then tailored to the initial results, so not all the tests need to be repeated every year. After an initial health assessment, our specialist doctors will propose a personalised follow-up plan for the coming years.

At Swiss Medical Network, patients are supported throughout their care journey. If an imbalance or health issue is detected, our teams have the necessary expertise and infrastructure to ensure coordinated, personalised, rapid care.

40years old: a milestone to fear or an opportunity to seize?

For Professor Pierre-Olivier Lang, the answer is clear: turning 40 is not something to be afraid of, but rather an opportunity. It marks the beginning of physiological changes, but it is also the time when preventive measures are most effective. Adopting a lifestyle that adapts to these changes can have a significant impact on your health over the next 20 to 30 years.

Taking care of your health at 40 isn't about anticipating the worst; it's about investing in your future.

Our expert

Prof. Lang is an FMH specialist in internal medicine who trained at the University of Strasbourg before specialising in public health and geriatrics. He then pursued his career at several renowned academic institutions, including the HUG, the CHUV and Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Throughout his career, he has developed recognised expertise in caring for elderly and vulnerable populations, taking a comprehensive, humane and interdisciplinary approach. Recognising the challenges of preventive medicine, he now coordinates personalised check-up programmes, believing that prevention, understanding and anticipation are at the heart of quality medicine.

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