A record 1.04 million people aged over 40 were invited to free NHS health checks in the first quarter of this year, as part of a national programme commissioned by local councils.
From these invites, more than 320,000 checks were completed in the first quarter of the year.
Councils across England have offered nearly 32 million eligible people an NHS health check since April 2013, with more than 14 million checks completed.
The national public health programme is designed to spot the early signs of serious illness, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and dementia. Local council public health teams work with the NHS to deliver the programme via GP practices, pharmacies, community healthcare settings and integrated health improvement programmes.
The gap between invitations and completed checks highlights the importance of making the service more accessible – for example, by bringing checks into workplaces.
The LGA said many councils have also adapted their approach to target individuals or communities at increased risk of disease, through proactive outreach programmes.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: “While there is still room for improvement in the uptake of the checks, these latest figures reflect the scale of delivery and efforts of local authorities and health services to improve health outcomes.
“Public health funding gaps do continue to present barriers for councils. It is vital that councils are properly resourced to deliver preventative services and improve health outcomes for all communities.”