Introduction:
Health is conditioned by several factors formed in childhood and adolescence, and are modeled throughout the entire life. It should be remembered that a rapid development of civilization exerts a signifi cant eff ect on the undertaking of risky behaviours by growing adolescents. This is a typical phenomenon associated with the performance of developmental tasks of this period: seeking own identity, independence, and verifi cation of own capabilities and skills to cope with various problems. The objective of this study was assessment of risk behaviours among adolescents attending secondary schools in Warsaw from the aspect of cardiovascular diseases. The study covered a group of 150 schoolchildren (68 girls and 82 boys) aged from 16-19, attending secondary schools in Warsaw. A questionnaire form was designed for the purpose of the study containing a number of questions concerning the level of adolescents’ knowledge pertaining to cardiovascular diseases. The analysis of results was performed by means of the SAS system (Statistical Analysis System). In the group examined, 50.95 % of respondents admitted that they smoked cigarettes for pleasure, 32.12% consumed alcoholic drinks several times a month. Narcotics were not popular among the adolescents in the study, only 6 schoolchildren (4%) took drugs. In addition, over 52% of boys and 38.24% of girls could not provide an answer to the question concerning the eff ect of smoking on the cardiovascular system. Approximately 40% of boys were not able to indicate the adverse effects of alcohol consumption. Risky behaviours are indicators of attitudes towards health, resulting from values adopted by an individual; therefore, they indicate the need for advice, support and assistance for young people in the shaping of their lives.