Nationwide survey reveals gender disparities in cardiovascular awareness and lifestyle behaviors among polish adolescents aged 18 years

Cardiovascular (CV) prevention in young adults is pivotal due to escalating morbidity and mortality rates in this demographic. Assessing CV awareness and its socio-behavioural correlates is essential for developing effective prevention strategies. This study assessed CV awareness and lifestyle behaviours among Polish 18-year-olds, hypothesising that significant gender-specific disparities exist at the threshold of adulthood. A nationwide, representative survey was conducted over 10,000 students in final-year grades from 250 Polish secondary schools. Sampling employed a stratified cluster method. Data were weighted to ensure national representativeness. Awareness of CV risk factors and lifestyle behaviours (diet, physical activity, sleep, and substance use) were evaluated. Of 10,095 participants (6,076 females, 4,019 males), overweight and obesity were recorded at 17.0% and 4.1% in males, and 8.4% and 2.1% in females, respectively (p < 0.001). Only 14.6% of women and 14.3% of men knew their current blood pressure values (p = 0.48). Weekday screen time averaged 5.9 ± 2.7 hours, rising to 6.7 ± 2.8 hours on weekends, with significant gender differences on weekends (p = 0.009). Sleep duration was concerning, with 52.6% of women and 40.5% of men sleeping under seven hours on weekdays (p < 0.001), though 95% slept sufficiently on weekends. Awareness of sleep-related diabetes and obesity risks was minimal. Men had higher alcohol consumption, with 20.5% consuming 100g or more weekly, compared to 12.6% of women (p < 0.001). Smoking was prevalent, with 22.8% of women and 23.7% of men smoking daily. Exercise adherence varied, with only 61.0% of women and 76.7% of men meeting guidelines in summer, declining in winter (p < 0.001). Men generally consumed unhealthy foods more often. While most recognized common myocardial infarction risk factors, under 65% identified high cholesterol as a risk, with women generally performing better in awareness. Polish 18-year-olds exhibit distinct, gender-specific cardiovascular risk profiles. While females possess superior theoretical knowledge, they are more prone to physical inactivity and poor sleep hygiene. In contrast, males are primarily burdened by adverse dietary habits and substance use. These findings indicate that public health interventions should be gender-tailored: prioritising physical activity for young women and focusing on dietary improvements and addiction prevention for young men to effectively mitigate future cardiovascular risk.