YORK COUNTY - More and more, people are becoming increasingly proactive about their health.

Whether it is with dieting, exercise or just trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, health awareness is playing a more important role in people's lives today.

Life Line Screening offers people one more way they can take control of their health by providing screenings that detect artery problems. These screenings are done at various community centers at what the company describes as a significant savings over what individuals would have to pay at a doctor's office.

Individual screenings run approximately $50, but there are also packages around $150 that include each of the five screenings that the company offers, explained Life Line Screening Public Relations Coordinator Kerry Heffernan.

"We are able to offer these services at a fraction of the cost a doctor's office would charge because we don't have any building expenses," said Heffernan.

At the screenings, technologists conduct the painless, non-invasive, ultrasound screenings, partial ECG screenings and the finger-stick blood test screenings to detect stroke/carotid artery blockages, abdominal aortic aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease and osteoporosis, explained Heffernan.

Less than one year ago, York Beach resident Barbara Smith attended a Life Line Screening event at the York-Ogunquit Methodist Church. The visit resulted in the discovery of a small 3.5-centimeter abdominal aneurysm.

In most cases, the aneurysm needs to 5 centimeters before posing a serious threat that would require surgery. However, because Smith is now aware of the aneurysm, she can avoid activity that might worsen the situation.

Smith said she plans to also continue to have scans done every six months to keep track of her abdominal aneurysm.

"An abdominal aortic aneurysm is an enlargement in the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart caused by a breakdown in the lining of the artery," explained Heffernan. "As the lining gets weaker, the enlargement grows, possibly leading to rupture. This is the 13th cause of death in the United States, but many individuals are not even aware that they are at risk."

According to Life Line, the detection rate at screenings is surprisingly high with between 8 and 10 percent of screenings resulting in the detection of a potential problem. It's a valuable service because over 50 percent of victims don't have any warning signs, said Heffernan.

"Abdominal aneurysms don't give any symptoms at all," Smith explained. "This is one of those things that most people don't know they have until it's too late. I am very grateful that I decided to go to a screening event."

Screenings are scheduled York County in the weeks ahead, including one at Village by the Sea in Wells on March 1 and another at the Sanford Elks Lodge on March 17.

Individuals interested in attending a Life Line Screening may call (800) 697-9721 for more information.