Fifteen percent of people aged fifteen and older who play sports on a weekly basis and who in 2024 occasionally used a sports performance-enhancing product have experienced health problems due to the use of those products. This compares with just five percent in 2016. Among the people who experienced health issues, one in five sought medical advice. These figures were revealed in a study by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

On 1 April 2026, Professor Isabel Arends will take up her new position as Director-General (DG) of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). In so doing, she will take over from acting DG Sicco Louw who has headed the organisation since November 2025, following the departure of Hans Brug.

RIVM expects climate change to have increasingly severe adverse health impacts. In addition to taking every possible action to combat climate change, Dutch society will also need to adapt more effectively. As this change will take time, action must be taken without delay.

Figures from Tekenradar.nl show that in 2025, the Dutch reported the highest number of tick bites in five years. In recent weeks, the number of tick bites has been on the rise, and with it the risk of disease. That is why, during the ‘Week van de Teek’ (Tick Bite Prevention Week), RIVM is focusing on the rapid removal of ticks to prevent disease.

The average number of hours of maternity care received by a family has declined over the past few years. At the same time, the demand for maternity care appears to be increasing, partly due to shorter hospital admissions after giving birth. Particularly families in a vulnerable situation are receiving structurally less maternity care.

In 2025, 5% of people aged 16 and over engaged at least once in the previous 12 months in behaviour associated with higher sexual health risk—specifically, having sex without a condom with someone they are not in a long-term relationship with—.

The number of people with tuberculosis in the Netherlands increased last year to the highest number in nine years. This is shown by the RIVM's key figures for tuberculosis, which are published every year on World Tuberculosis Day.

Access to urban green spaces is good for health. This has been shown in various scientific research studies. RIVM investigated whether green neighbourhoods’ impact on health could also be expressed numerically.

In April 2025, RIVM concluded that home-produced eggs across the Netherlands may contain much more PFAS than commercial eggs. New RIVM research confirms that this is mainly due to worms that chickens pick up from the soil.

The legally binding targets for reducing nitrogen deposition in Natura 2000 areas will not be met, according to the second monitoring and evaluation of the Nitrogen Reduction and Nature Improvement Programme (PSN). Despite the measures that the government has implemented, deposition of nitrogen on most nitrogen sensitive nature areas continue to exceed safe levels. Nature restoration in the Netherlands is lagging behind thresholds agreed within the European Union.