In the Health Survey, participants receive a score based on the extent to which they follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s dietary recommendations. This concerns the consumption of meat and fish, fruit, vegetables, sugary drinks, bread and unhealthy snacks.
Children aged 1 to 4 achieve an average score of 7.1 for their dietary pattern. The 4- to 12-year-old group already eats less healthily, with a score of 6.6. Among 12- to 18-year-olds, the score drops to 5.9, before rising again to 6.2 among 18- to 25-year-olds. People aged 65 and over score highest, with a 7.5.
Chocolate bar or frikandel
Young people aged 12 to 18 therefore eat the least healthily. For example, three quarters of them eat more than three large snacks per week, such as a large biscuit, a chocolate bar or a frikandel. 31 percent drink sugary beverages every day. And 86 percent do not eat two pieces of fruit every day.
“It is good to see that the youngest children eat relatively healthily,” says Petra Verhoef, director of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, in response to the study. “Many parents are very conscious of this. There is also a great deal of professional support for parents during this first phase, and childcare centres often provide healthy food.”
Unhealthy temptations
After the toddler years, however, unhealthy temptations begin to play a greater role, Verhoef observes. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre therefore advocates compulsory lessons about nutrition at school, free school meals and healthy food in places where many children and young people gather. According to Verhoef, healthy eating habits lay the foundation for children’s and young people’s future. That is why she believes it is good that the government is continuing the School Meals Programme. “Schools are precisely how you reach all children and therefore increase equal opportunities.”