Objective  To examine the status of medical checkup among Chinese populations aged 15 years and above between 2010 and 2012, and to provide evidences for developing intervention strategies and implementing Healthy China Project.

  Methods  Data were extracted from Chinese Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010 – 2012. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among 144 174 residents in 150 counties (municipalities/districts) of 31 provinces (autonomous regions/municipalities directly under the central government) to collect demography and medical checkup-related information. The status of medical checkup was analyzed with weighted complex sampling processing according to population data issued by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2009.

  Results  Of the residents surveyed, 92 583 (64.22%; after weighted for complex sampling: 67.87%, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 64.25% – 71.50%) did not take any medical checkup before 2010. The proportion of the residents taking medical checkup once or more per year, once every two years, and once every three or more years were 20.66% (95% CI: 18.00 – 23.32), 4.58% (95% CI: 3.17 – 5.99), and 6.89% (95% CI: 6.22 – 7.56), respectively. The residents in large cities reported a higher rate (60.29%) of having medical checkup than those in medium and small-sized cities (40.48%) and rural areas (ordinary rural: 27.35%, poor rural: 14.12%). The residents aged 65 years and above reported a higher rate of having medical checkup than those aged 40 – 64 years (33.77%) and 15 – 39 years (35.46%). The medical checkup rate in the residents with high education (71.36%) was higher than that in residents with middle school or high school (37.42%) and illiteratcy or primary school (26.32%). The medical checkup rate of governmental officials, enterprise managers, technicians, and clerical staff was higher than that of other occupational groups. The medical checkup rate in the residents with higher household income was higher than that in those with lower household income (44.39% vs. 27.61%, P < 0.05); the unmarried residents reported a higher rate of having medical checkup (39.72%) than the married (35.48%) and the divorced or widowed (34.18%) (both P < 0.05). Among the residents with previous medical checkup, 42.75% (95% CI: 39.56% – 45.94%) reported taking the checkups organized by employers; 27.07% (95% CI: 23.28% – 30.86%), 9.60% (95% CI: 7.60% – 11.61%), and 1.95% (95% CI = 1.62% – 2.29%) reported taking the checkups due to the decision of themselves, specific reasons such as pregnancy or to be have a delivery, and recommendations of their relatives or friends; 4.60% (95% CI: 1.41% – 7.80%) reported having the checkups supported by insurance institutes.

  Conclusion  The proportion of having medical checkup was low among Chinese populations above 15 years old between 2010 and 2012 and the proportion was different among the populations with different characteristics. The results suggest relevant measures should be taken to promote participation in medical checkup among the populations.