The number of people in the Netherlands suffering from a chronic illness will go up by 70% over the next 18 years, according to calculations by health institute RIVM.

Almost one million people will have diabetes, 1.2 million people will have osteoporosis and 540,000 some form of lung problem such as asthma.
The main reason for the increase in chronic conditions will be the aging population, the RIVM says. By 2025, one in five people will be aged over 65 – in 2005 the figure was one in seven. But unhealthy lifestyles will also play a role, the RIVM said.