Whole grain foods (PŽIV) are an important source of dietary fiber, yet young people often do not meet the recommended daily intake. This is influenced by limited knowledge of PŽIV, inadequate dietary habits, food neophobia, and unclear definitions of PŽIV at the EU level. The aim of the study was to assess nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and the impact of food neophobia among young consumers. An anonymous questionnaire was used, comprising demographic data and questions on nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and food neophobia. The study included 88 primary school pupils (10–11 years) and 413 secondary school students (15–19 years). More than 90 % of respondents had already heard of PŽIV. The majority (60 % of primary and 65 % of secondary school students) knew that whole grain bread contains the entire grain. Primary school girls demonstrated better knowledge of the benefits of PŽIV compared to boys (p = 0.023), while no gender differences were observed among secondary school students (p = 0.284). Regarding food choices, participants significantly more often selected refined grain foods: 73 % of primary school pupils would often or always choose white rolls, while 51 % would never choose brown rice; among secondary school students, 71 % would often or always choose white pasta and 68 % white rice, while 41 % would never choose brown rice and 20 % would never choose whole grain pasta. More than half of the respondents were classified as having a medium level of food neophobia. Higher neophobia was weakly associated with lower academic performance (r = –0.101). We conclude that knowledge regarding whole grain foods remains deficient. Consumption could be increased through health awareness, greater availability at school and in the home environment, and by considering social influences and sensory preferences of young people.
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