One in five Irish people ‘do not bother much about health’ and only plan to take care of it when they get older, a new survey has found.

According to the findings, just 29% of people take a proactive approach to their health, believing that a healthy diet, regular exercise, less stress and regular health checks will keep them in good shape for longer.

The survey found that the majority of people do not attend doctors for regular health checks, choosing instead to only attend when they are ill. Over half (53%) only go to the doctor ‘once they notice the illness symptoms appearing and getting more serious’.

Just 19% have a health check once every two years.

“The results of this survey show a worrying attitude to health from the Irish population. I would recommend that healthy adults visit their doctor once every two years for a general health check,” commented GP, Dr Stephen Murphy.

The survey also found that just 8% of people exercise every day, while 10% exercise a few times a week. At least one in four (28%) exercise just once a week.

The survey of 434 people was carried out by Aviva’s health insurance division.