The eating habits were analyzed in 15-16-year-old pupils from the secondary schools of the Republic of Komi. The investigation revealed that most senior pupils did not comply with the diet, had inadequate dietary intake patterns, preferred wheat breads, consumed low amounts of vegetable and dairy products and excessive amounts of refined and nutrient-unbalanced foods (such as mayonnaise, sweets). The diets of rural schoolchildren are more adequate to the physiological nutritional standards in terms of the frequency characteristics of consumption of different product groups. Improper eating habits in children are supposedly developed and fixed in their families so primarily the adult population must learn the principles of healthy eating for prophylactic purposes.