Over-40s health checks for age-related issues find an average of five undetected problems, SA researchers report.

The study of seemingly healthy participants, aged 40-75, discovered they had a range of undiagnosed issues, including hypertension, memory and cognition deficits, and early hearing loss.

“Individual health screening and self-management should be a cornerstone to empower healthy ageing in Australia and avoid the black hole of middle ageing,” said study lead author Professor Sue Gordon, chair of restorative care in ageing at Flinders University.

The 561 participants were invited for a health check and tested for 21 health domains related to ageing, including hearing, memory, lung function, foot sensation, balance, diet and physical activity.