People across Solihull can now check their height, weight, blood pressure and BMI at libraries across the borough, for free.
Blood pressure monitors have been installed at The Core, Shirley Library, Chelmsley Wood Library and Hobs Moat Library.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Tony Dicicco, said: “I would encourage everyone to use the monitors, which can give you a health check-up within a matter of minutes.
“I recently used the monitor at The Core and was pleased to see how quick and easy it is to use.
“The monitors are a great way to check your health, with information available by the monitors on support available for people with high blood pressure or BMI.”
High blood pressure is associated with several health issues, including heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
Ruth Tennant, Solihull Council’s Director of Public Health, said “We know that prevention is better than cure.
“Knowing your numbers is a great way to understand if there are steps you need to take to reduce your risk of common preventable conditions and stay healthier for longer.”
The monitors also measure BMI, an estimate of body fat that shows someone’s risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Other health checks available in Solihull include the NHS Health Check, a free check-up for adults aged 40 to 74. The NHS Health check helps spot early signs of health problems such as heart or kidney disease and diabetes. Another free service for Solihull residents is Gateway. They offer help to stop smoking, get more active, reduce stress and improve mental health.