Know your numbers: Staying in the normal ranges for these popular screening tests ultimately adds up to great health.
Heart check
Cholesterol Levels
High:
Total cholesterol: 240 or more
LDL cholesterol: 160 or more
HDL cholesterol: less than 40 (means you’re at higher risk for heart disease)
Borderline:
Total cholesterol: 200-239
LDL cholesterol: 130-159
HDL cholesterol: 40-60
Best:
Total cholesterol: less than 200
LDL cholesterol: less than 130
HDL cholesterol: 60 or higher
Triglycerides
Normal: 149 mg/dL or lower
Borderline: 150–199 mg/dL
High: 200–499 mg/dL
Very high risk: 500 mg/dL or above
Blood pressure reading
Normal: Less than 120/80 mmHg
Pre-hypertension: 120/80–139/89 mmHg
Hypertension (stage 1): 140/90–159/99 mmHg
Hypertension (stage 2): 160/100 mmHg or higher
Lung check
Spirometry: For chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder [COPD] in women ages 40 and older
Normal: 80% or better
Mild COPD: 60% to 79%
Moderate COPD: 40% to 59%
Severe COPD: 39% or less
Weight check
BMI: Body Mass Index
Underweight: 18.4 or less
Healthy weight: 18.5–24.9
Overweight: 25–29.9
Obese: 30+
Diabetes check
Fasting blood sugar readings
Normal: Less than 100 mg/dL
Pre-diabetes: 100–125 mg/dL
Type 1 or type 2 diabetes when tested twice: 126 mg/dL or higher
A1C blood test
Ideal: 6 or less
Normal: 7
High: 8+
Bone check
Bone density scanning t-score
Normal: -1 or higher
Osteoporosis: -2.5 or lower
