As part of the Pol-Monica Programme realized in 1984 the dietary habits of a population of over 5 thousand persons, aged 35-64, from a rural area (Province of Tarnobrzeg) and an urban area (Warsaw) were evaluated. A significant effect of the social environment and sex was noted on the energy and nutritional value of meals and on the consumption of products in them. In the urban environment these values were usually higher than in the rural environment; besides that a higher energy value of the daily food ration and higher amounts of basic nutrients in it were noted in the diet of males than in that of females. In relation to the RDA, the intake of fats by males, especially in the Warsaw population, exceeded greatly the suggested value, while the content of vitamin C in the diet of males and females in both populations was very low, only 30-40% of the recommended value.