Almost three quarters (73%) of Aviva individual and group protection customers who have returned a valid annual health check through the insurer’s DigiCare+ and DigiCare+ Workplace service over the past year suffer from high cholesterol.
Poor liver health (64%) and kidney health (27%) also accounted for key areas of concern among Aviva customers, according to data released by the insurer.
The data also revealed more than two-thirds (68%) of users have requested a health check, making this the most popular benefit as customers want to monitor and receive health information from home.
Fran Bruce, managing director of protection at Aviva, said: “One year on from launch, the annual health check has been the most popular benefit.
“It’s been incredibly powerful to identify a high incidence of issues such as abnormal cholesterol and liver health results to give customers an early heads up and enable them to take action to improve their lifestyle choices by seeking help via the app.
“While providing our customers with the right support at point of claim is vital, we know that prevention and early intervention is key to avoid customers becoming ill in the first place. Never has that been more important.”
Dr Bippon Vinayak, chairman and CEO of Square Health, the provider of the service, added: “Liver and cholesterol health markers are related to diet and lifestyle.
“An unhealthy diet high in saturated fat, being overweight, excess alcohol intake and physical inactivity can lead to an increase in bad cholesterol. Excess alcohol intake is the main cause of liver damage.
“It is likely that diet and lifestyle may have both been impacted adversely during the pandemic and lockdown period.”