**Background:** Poland is a major European producer and exporter of game meat, yet domestic consumption is remarkably low at 0.08 kg/person/year—far below France (5.7 kg), Italy (3.8 kg), or Sweden (2.63 kg). This paradox creates environmental burdens: exporting frozen game meat increases carbon footprint, while using it domestically would align with sustainable consumption principles. The authors hypothesized that low consumption stems not from vegetarianism (Poles consume 81.4 kg meat/person/year total) but from psychological factors including food neophobia, low variety-seeking tendency, and negative or ambivalent attitudes toward game meat. The study aimed to characterize these factors in young consumers (18–40 years), a group identified as low game consumers but potentially open to dietary change.
**Methods:** A cross-sectional survey using the Paper and Pen Personal Interview (PAPI) method was conducted from October to December 2019 in the Tri-City region of northern Poland. Of 482 distributed questionnaires, 453 were valid. Three validated instruments were used: the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS, 10 items), the Variety Seeking Tendency Scale (VARSEEK, 8 items), and a proprietary Game Meat Attitude Scale (GMAS, 10 items covering cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components). All items used a 5-point Likert scale. Negative statements were reverse-coded. Respondents were grouped into three categories (negative/low, ambivalent/medium, positive/high) based on mean scores: 1.0–2.2, 2.3–3.7, and 3.8–5.0. Reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha (FNS: 0.8443; VARSEEK: 0.8125; GMAS: 0.8125). Chi-square tests of independence evaluated differences across sociodemographic factors (gender, age, education, financial situation, subjective diet assessment, and prior game meat consumption).
**Key Results:** On the GMAS, 76.6% of respondents showed ambivalent attitudes toward game meat, 16.34% positive, and 7.06% negative. The mean GMAS score was 34.09 out of 50, indicating a tendency toward positive attitudes. On the FNS, 51.43% had medium neophobia, 43.05% low neophobia (neophilic), and only 5.52% high neophobia. On the VARSEEK, 55.85% showed a high tendency to seek food variety, 38.19% medium, and 5.96% low. Gender significantly differentiated GMAS responses: women more often held negative attitudes, while men more often held ambivalent or positive attitudes (p < 0.05). Prior game meat consumption was the strongest differentiator across all three scales. Among those who had never eaten game, 13.79% held negative attitudes versus only 3.9% of those who had consumed game (p < 0.001). Game consumers also showed significantly lower neophobia and higher variety-seeking. Age and education did not significantly differentiate attitudes toward game meat. Notably, respondents rated game meat as heavily contaminated with heavy metals (mean 3.58/5.0) and equated eating wild boar with trichinella infection (mean 4.02/5.0), despite evidence that Polish game meat meets safety standards. The behavioral component of GMAS showed the most positive scores, while the cognitive component showed the most negative, suggesting knowledge deficits rather than emotional resistance.
**Clinical Implications:** While not a clinical intervention study, these findings have public health and nutritional relevance. Game meat is lean (3–4% fat), high in complete protein (20–26%), and rich in potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and vitamins E and B—nutritionally superior to many farmed meats. Replacing some farmed meat with game could improve dietary quality while reducing environmental impact from industrial livestock production. The study identifies a clear knowledge gap: consumers are open to novel foods but lack accurate information about game meat safety and nutritional value. Targeted educational campaigns addressing safety misconceptions (e.g., heavy metal contamination, trichinella risk) and highlighting health benefits could shift the 76.6% with ambivalent attitudes toward positive ones. This is particularly relevant for young adults, who show high neophilia and variety-seeking but low game consumption. The authors recommend integrating game meat education into broader sustainable consumption initiatives, potentially reducing Poland's 51,000 tonnes of annual game meat exports and associated environmental costs.