Can I eat in the morning during routine physical examination?

The conclusion is that it cannot be generalized. Most routine physical examination packages that include metabolic blood tests and abdominal ultrasound are recommended to go on an empty stomach. Only a few physical examinations that only include basic items can have a light breakfast.

After all, the routine physical examination we often talk about basically includes blood tests for liver function, kidney function, blood lipids, fasting blood sugar, and abdominal B-ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen. After eating, blood sugar and blood lipids will rise temporarily. Enzyme indicators of liver function may also fluctuate. The gallbladder will shrink and empty bile after eating. It is impossible to see whether there are polyps or stones on the gallbladder wall under B-ultrasound, so it is easy to miss the diagnosis. I went with an elder in my family for a physical examination before. She secretly ate half of a bun before going out because she was afraid of being hungry. During the B-ultrasound, the doctor directly said that the gallbladder imaging was completely wrong. She could only make an appointment for the next time. Not only did she queue for half an hour in vain, but she also had to make an extra trip.

However, in the past two years, not everyone agrees with the strict rule that "physical examination must be done on an empty stomach". After all, everyone's physical examination packages are really different now. If your physical examination only includes basic items such as height and weight, blood routine, electrocardiogram, and chest X-ray, and there are no items that require fasting, there is really no need to go hungry. A while ago, there was a little girl in our company who was hungry all morning for a physical examination. While waiting in line, she fell down due to hypoglycemia and broke her chin. As a result, her meal plan did not include blood lipids, blood sugar, and abdominal B-ultrasound at all. It was all in vain.

Especially for people who have diabetes or hypoglycemia, there is no need to carry it out. After you go, tell the consultation desk first, give priority to completing the items that require fasting, and immediately eat some candy or bread that you brought with you before doing other items. It is really not possible to faint for the physical examination. By the way, even if you are required to fast, don’t fast for too long. Just don’t eat late-night snacks or drink milk tea and cola after 10 o’clock the night before. Drinking a few sips of plain water will not affect it at all. If you fast for more than 16 hours, the body’s metabolic indicators will be abnormal, and the measured results will be inaccurate. The gain outweighs the gain. If you are really not sure, just ask the customer service of the medical examination institution directly when making an appointment and report the items you want to do. They can tell you directly whether you need to fast or not, which is much more reliable than guessing on your own.