Introduction. Acute pancreatitis is a severe disorder requiring hospital treatment. The increasing prevalence of this disorder results from improper lifestyle and nutrition as well as from alcohol consumption. One of the most important elements of the treatment of acute pancreatitis is adequate nutrition, which may improve the effectiveness of the therapy. Aim. The analysis of diet in patients recovering from acute pancreatitis and evaluation of their knowledge concerning the importance of the proper nutrition. The aim was also to present that proper diet has a significant effect on patients’ quality of life. Material and methods. The study was conducted in hospitals in Poznan between February and May 2012. The research tool was an anonymous survey. 40 patients were involved in the study, which was approved by the Bioethics Committee. Results. 80% of respondents knew even partially principles of the nutrition related to acute pancreatitis. However, only 57.5% of respondents use a special diet. 96% of patients, who used recommended diet indicated believes that their quality of life was improved. Relapses of acute pancreatitis are related to 65% of patients and are especially associated with alcohol abuse and poor diet. Conclusions. Patients’ knowledge concerning diet during the recovery time depends on relapses of the acute pancreatitis. Although knowledge about the importance of a proper diet, there is non-compliance related to dietary recommendations. The most common cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis is inappropriate nutrition and excessive alcohol consumption. Proper diet results in the improvement of the patients’ quality of life

Key words: acute pancreatitis, diet, recovery, patients.