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These are your basic stats, including height, weight, and waist circumference. Your measurements are used to establish your body mass index (BMI), which is a useful indicator of whether your weight falls into the recommended range.

The following BMI results are considered within the healthy range:

• BMI of 18.5 -24.9; or 
• BMI of 25-25.9 and a waist circumference of less than 80cm (female) or less than 94cm (male).

It’s important to understand that BMI is less accurate for assessing healthy weight in some groups of people because it does not distinguish between the proportion of weight due to fat or muscle (i.e. body builders, high performance athletes or pregnant women).

Your blood pressure is represented by two numbers - the systolic blood pressure (the heart's cycle of contraction) and the diastolic blood pressure (the heart's cycle of relaxation) expressed as an equation of X/Y. The recommended range for blood pressure is less than 140/90. A blood pressure reading greater than 140/90 indicates high blood pressure (hypertension).

It's essential to have your blood pressure tested on a regular basis as high blood pressure (hypertension) is asymptomatic and therefore hard to diagnose without monitoring. If left un-treated, hypertension can cause damage to your arteries - increasing your risk of kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack.

Blood glucose levels are used to determine whether the sugar levels in your blood are within a healthy range. The recommended range for random glucose is less than 7.8mmol/L, fasting glucose less than 6.1mmol/L and Hba1C 5.5% or less. Hyperglycaemia occurs when blood glucose levels are too high, and is often indicative of type one or type two diabetes (although it can also be a symptom of other health issues).

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fat that's produced by our bodies. It's vital to many essential functions, including the production of hormones and vitamin D. However, cholesterol can also be ingested through the foods that we eat (especially those containing high levels of saturated fat). When levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (often called 'bad cholesterol') get too high, it can create blockages in arteries - increasing risk of heart disease and stroke. The NZ government's guidelines for cholesterol define a healthy range as Total Cholesterol of <4.0 mmol/L and/or Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio of less than 4, provided that there are no other risk factors present (including hypertension and smoking).