Blood pressure tells only part of the story

High-risk people have more visceral fat

Know your waist-hip ratio

How hard should you exercise?

Is maximum intensity exercise always safe?

He found out why core strength matters

Discover why standard clinical checks might miss critical heart risks, and the vital role of fat loss over weight loss.

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

For millions of people worldwide living with hypertension, keeping blood pressure numbers in the normal zone is the ultimate goal. But what if that peace of mind is an illusion? Recent findings from the REMODEL study at the National Heart Center Singapore suggests that the true danger to your heart might be completely invisible to standard clinical checks. 

The study, published as a letter in the journal MedCom in February 2026, found that nearly 30 per cent of health complications related to high blood pressure occur in patients whose blood pressure appears perfectly normal on paper.

In this episode, Joyce Teo speaks to the study’s senior author, Associate Professor Calvin Chin, to find out about the importance of fat loss over mere weight loss and why a normal blood pressure reading may not always tell you the full story. He is a senior consultant in cardiology from the National Heart Center Singapore and the deputy director of the National Heart Research Institute Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:43 Your blood pressure reading does not tell you the full story

4:11 High-risk individuals have a higher amount of visceral fat

7:30 Know your waist-hip ratio

12:08 How hard should you exercise? 

13:46 Is it safe to exercise at maximum intensity all the time?

16:32 He discovered the importance of core strength the hard way

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN 

Host: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube:https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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#healthcheck

Discover why standard clinical checks might miss critical heart risks, and the vital role of fat loss over weight loss.
Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
For millions of people worldwide living with hypertension, keeping blood pressure numbers in the normal zone is the ultimate goal. But what if that peace of mind is an illusion? Recent findings from the REMODEL study at the National Heart Center Singapore suggests that the true danger to your heart might be completely invisible to standard clinical checks.&nbsp;
The study, published as a letter in the journal MedCom in February 2026, found that nearly 30 per cent of health complications related to high blood pressure occur in patients whose blood pressure appears perfectly normal on paper.
In this episode, Joyce Teo speaks to the study&rsquo;s senior author, Associate Professor Calvin Chin, to find out about the importance of fat loss over mere weight loss and why a normal blood pressure reading may not always tell you the full story. He is a senior consultant in cardiology from the National Heart Center Singapore and the deputy director of the National Heart Research Institute Singapore.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:43 Your blood pressure reading does not tell you the full story
4:11 High-risk individuals have a higher amount of visceral fat
7:30 Know your waist-hip ratio
12:08 How hard should you exercise?&nbsp;
13:46 Is it safe to exercise at maximum intensity all the time?
16:32 He discovered the importance of core strength the hard way
Read Joyce Teo's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/JbxN"> https://str.sg/JbxN</a>&nbsp;
Host: Joyce Teo (<a href="mailto:joyceteo@sph.com.sg">joyceteo@sph.com.sg</a>)
Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRX"> https://str.sg/JWRX</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaQ"> https://str.sg/JWaQ</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7"> https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube:<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa"> </a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
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#healthcheck

Making sense of health matters that work for you.

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Podcaster: Joyce Teo

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.