Use an array:

$areas = array(




    'apple' => 'Apple',




    'lemon' => 'Lemon',




    'orange' => 'Orange',




    'banana' => 'Banana'




);

Then use that array to print the select:

<select>




<?php foreach ($areas as $value => $text): ?>




    <option value="<?php echo $value; ?>" <?php if ($user_data[$area] == $value) {echo 'selected';} ?>><?php echo $text; ?>




    </option> 




<?php endforeach; ?>




</select>

I am using an associative array because I am assuming that you want to be able to customize the areas' text label, and that they will not only be a capitaized version of the value used to match the user data.