RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Effectiveness of the population-based ‘check your health preventive programme’ conducted in a primary care setting: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health JO J Epidemiol Community Health FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 24 OP 31 DO 10.1136/jech-2021-216581 VO 76 IS 1 A1 Bjerregaard, Anne-Louise A1 Dalsgaard, Else-Marie A1 Bruun, Niels-Henrik A1 Norman, Kasper A1 Witte, Daniel R A1 Stovring, Henrik A1 Maindal, Helle Terkildsen A1 Sandbæk, Annelli YR 2022 UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/76/1/24.abstract AB Background Health checks have been suggested as an early detection approach aiming at lowering the risk of chronic disease development. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a health check programme offered to the general population, aged 30–49 years.Methods The entire population aged 30–49 years (N=26 216) living in the municipality of Randers, Denmark, was invited to a health check during 5 years. A pragmatic household cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted in 10 505 citizens. The intervention group (IG, N=5250) included citizens randomised to the second year and reinvited in the 5th year. The comparison group (CG, N=5255) included citizens randomised to the 5th year. Outcomes were modelled cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; self-reported physical activity (PA) and objectively measured cardio respiratory fitness (CRF); self-rated health (short-form 12 (SF-12)), self-rated mental health (SF-12_Mental Component Score (MCS)) and, registry information on sick-leave and employment. Due to low participation, we compared groups matched on propensity scores for participation when reinvited.Results Participation in the first health check was 51% (N=2698) in the IG and 40% (N=2120) in the CG. In the IG 26% (N=1340) participated in both the first and second health checks. No intervention effects were found comparing IG and CG. Mean differences were (95% CI): modelled CVD risk: −0.052 (95% CI −0.107 to 0.003)%, PA: −0.156 (−0.331 to 0.019) days/week with 30 min moderate PA, CRF: 0.133 (−0.560 to 0.826) mL O2/min/kg, SF-12: −0.003 (−0.032 to 0.026), SF-12_MCS: 0.355 (-0.423 to 1.132), sick leave periods ≥3 weeks: −0.004 (−0.025 to 0.017), employment: −0.004 (−0.032 to 0.024).Conclusions Preventive health checks offered to the general population, aged 30–49 years, had no effects on a wide range of indicators of chronic disease risk.Trial registration number NCT02028195.Individual de-identified participant data (including data dictionaries) collected at the health examinations will be available on reasonable request. Information from the Danish National Registers was used under license from the Danish Health Data Authority for the current study, and so are not publicly available. The Danish Health Data Authority can permit availability of these data based on a separate request directed to The Danish Health Data Authority.