Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Abstract The study was carried out to estimate the frequency of fruit and vegetables consumption by the inhabitants of the Beskid Sądecki region. Moreover the preferences of species and of the form of these food products consumption in dependence of gender, age and income were defined. It was observed that only just 35.5% of respondents eat fruits every day, while 4% of persons never do it or less often than once a week. Vegetables are eaten less often than fruit. 54% of respondents are motivated by their taste preferences, while 41% are driven by advantages for their health. For elder people more important was the effect of fruit and vegetables on health. Similar approach was demonstrated by consumers of higher education and inhabitants of large cities. However, every second respondent consuming fruit and vegetables less often than once a day said that they saw no necessity of doing it more often. Over one fifth of respondents (20.4%) indicated no taste to eat such food, while similar number (17.2%) said that fruit and vegetables are too expensive.