Objectives: The objective of our study was to examine the impact of income, education chronic diseases and self-rated health on health behavior (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet) in a large urban population of Poland.
Materials and methods: The data were collected in Lódź, a large industrial city of Poland, between 2001 and 2002, as a part of the Countrywide Integrated Noncommunicable Diseases Intervention Programme. The surveys were directed at random samples of the adult population (1837 men and women, aged 18-64 years). A questionnaire completed during a doctor's visit was used for data collection.
Results: Smoking was more prevalent in men then in women, and its prevalence was lower among the better-educated people. The older men drank the most. Strong alcohol consumption was more prevalent in women with a higher education and the highest income. The presence of any of the studied chronic illness decreased daily smoking and the frequency of alcohol consumption among men. Use of vegetable oil in food preparation was less prevalent among older men. Married men in the "medium" education group and widows used vegetable oil most frequently. Healthy physical activity was most prevalent among men in the higher income group; lower rates were observed among persons with skilled education and in men with chronic illnesses.
Conclusions: Based on our findings, we may conclude that education has a strong impact on our lifestyles. It is also evidenced that people who suffer from chronic illness show stronger motivation for healthy behavior. However, we found no relationship between health status and food habits.