Poles neglect healthy habits – a study by Warta and ARC Rynek i Opinia

Although it has long been known that the main cause of death among Poles are circulatory system diseases, practical knowledge among citizens is severely lacking. The latest study by Warta and ARC Rynek i Opinia shows that although 64% of us know what habits are good for the heart, most still do not follow them, and some people believe in myths such as a glass of wine for health or the usefulness of a smartwatch in health prevention. The numbers seem to confirm the state of knowledge of Poles: approximately 150,000 people die from heart diseases. people per year, and expenditure on the treatment of diseases increases from year to year.

We know what is harmful to the heart, but we still neglect our health

A study conducted by ARC Rynek i Opinia on behalf of the Warta insurance company shows that 64% of Poles declare knowledge about factors harmful to the heart, but this does not translate into practical habits. When asked about The most frequently neglected behaviors were indicated primarily by regular physical activity (41%), a healthy diet (34%) and taking care of healthy sleep (32%).but the top answers also included maintaining a healthy weight, fighting stress and preventive examinations. Also worth noting is the answer to the question whether heart attacks only affect older people – every 10th respondent agreed with this statement.

“Smartwatch instead of visiting a doctor and red wine for a healthy heart”

Study participants were also asked about: the importance of physical activity – 19% of people indicated that it is not recommended in heart diseases, which is inconsistent with current medical knowledge about the positive impact of exercise on the heart, as long as the patient remains under the supervision of a doctor. The indications in another question are also alarming: 11% of Poles believe that measurements from a smartwatch can replace a visit to a doctor.

The respondents' comments regarding popular health myths are also interesting. Until 21% of Poles believe that red wine protects against a heart attackhowever, almost half of them admit that they have no knowledge on this topic. The question about whether eggs are unhealthy for the heart by raising cholesterol levels was also not very optimistic: almost every fifth person agreed with this statement, but 50% of respondents denied that it was true. Nearly 40% of Poles believe that limiting sweets in the diet makes the diet healthy for the heart.

– Blind faith in the promises of technology is a concern. A smartwatch is a good tool for monitoring basic parameters, e.g. during physical activity, but it will never replace medical knowledge. In turn, myths about “saving” wine or harmful eggs are the result of old, unconfirmed reports that have become deeply rooted in our culture. Although debunked long ago, they still linger in the minds of Poles – explains Dr. Anna Bartusiak-Chatys, a cardiologist, in a comment on the study results.

Almost half of young people do not care about sleep

In the youngest age group (18-24 years old), the level of awareness regarding prevention is similar, but the distribution of answers indicates different problems of Generation Z. The study by Warta and ARC Rynek i Opinia shows that young people primarily neglect healthy sleepand the next habits are diet and physical activity.

Just over half of people aged 18 to 24 do not know whether alcohol protects against a heart attackand almost every fourth respondent of this age confirms that eating eggs every day is harmful to the heart. In the youngest group of respondents, 12% of responses indicated that a smartwatch can replace a visit to the doctor, but it is worth adding that the most affirmative indications were recorded in the age group 25-34.

Expenditures on cardiology are increasing

The National Health Fund allocated as much as PLN 20 billion for the treatment of circulatory system diseases in 2023 alone, but it is estimated that the total costalso including non-economic costs such as care for the sick, lost income, etc., reaches up to PLN 56 billion. State expenditure includes not only the care of primary care physicians and specialists, but also hospital treatment, specialized procedures and pharmacological treatment. Data from the National Health Fund on heart failure treatment show that at the end of 2024, services were provided to over 660,000 patients, reimbursement amounts exceeded PLN 3.67 billion, and over PLN 3.2 billion was spent on hospital treatment alone.

Central Statistical Office data indicate that circulatory system diseases are responsible for approximately 37% of deaths in Polandwhich corresponds to approx. 150 thousand people per year. Although the number of cases has been decreasing in recent years (in 2010 it was 45.2 per 10,000 population), Poles approach healthy habits and prevent heart disease with varying results, as shown by the previously mentioned study. Problems with cardiological care are also pointed out in the report “Towards improving cardiovascular health in Poland”, which lists among the risk factors, among others: hypertension, obesity, smoking and insufficient physical activity, paying attention to systemic problems such as insufficient prevention, unequal access to medical care between voivodeships and lack of good coordination between different levels of the health care system.

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Poles prefer private visits and insurance

Access to specialists in public health care still involves extended waiting times – also for people with heart diseases. National Health Fund data for the third quarter of 2025 indicate that the average waiting time for a visit to a cardiologist was 92 daysand people requiring an urgent visit waited about 43 days to be admitted. In such situations, many people use private medical care, paying approximately PLN 300-350 for a visit to a specialist, and further amounts for an echocardiogram or ECG holter.

The growing scale of cardiac problems also affects the life insurance market. PIU data for 2025 shows that Poles paid 6.7% more premiums than a year earlier, and the number of compensation paid also recorded an upward trend, reaching over PLN 7 billion. In a commentary on the study, Warta states that every day it pays 2,000 benefits from life insurance policies, which in 9 out of 10 cases concerned the health of the client and his or her relatives, which confirms that prevention does not always protect against disease.

The policy money allows you to focus on what is most important: recovery. A heart attack disrupts the plans, finances and life of the entire family. Illness prevents us from working, exposing us to lower income. In addition, there are costs related to treatment. Time plays a key role here. Quickly starting cardiac rehabilitation, taking appropriate medications and supplements, and regularly performing medical and laboratory tests may determine the quality of life in the future. – comments Karolina Kołaszewska, life insurance expert in Warta.

If we want to protect ourselves against heart disease, we can choose a serious illness policy, which is an additional contract to standard life insurance. The insurance sum should not be too low so that the insurer covers all treatment costs. It is also worth ensuring complete medical documentation and not hiding health problems, otherwise we may be refused benefits in the event of illness.

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