Almost half of adults thus meet the guideline of the Health Council of the Netherlands: do not drink alcohol, or drink no more than one glass a day. People with a higher professional or university education, young people aged 18–34 and men score below average when it comes to meeting this guideline. Of all survey participants, 22 per cent had not drunk alcohol at all in the past year. This is consistent with previously presented figures from the 2024 Health Survey/Lifestyle Monitor.

Smoking and physical activity

The monitor also looked at smoking and physical activity. The National Prevention Agreement (2018) aims to have less than five per cent of adults smoke by 2040. The percentage of adults who smoke has been falling for years, but the rate of decline has slowed down since 2020. The current nationwide percentage stands at 16 per cent. Furthermore, the monitor shows that an average of 49 per cent of adults meet the Health Council’s physical activity guidelines. On average, 57 per cent of adults exercise weekly. This is up from 2020, when 51 per cent exercised weekly.

About the monitor

The Health Monitor for Adults and the Elderly was conducted between September and December 2024. Almost half a million people in the Netherlands aged 18 and over completed a questionnaire on their health, well-being, lifestyle and living environment. You can find more results of the Health Monitor for Adults and the Elderly on VZinfo and RIVM Statline. You can find information on all Health Monitors at www.rivm.nl/gezondheidsmonitors. The results help municipalities and policymakers work in a targeted way to improve health.

Read the full press release on the website of the Netherlands Municipal Public Health Services and Medical Assistance in Accidents and Disasters.