More Dutch adults are limiting their alcohol intake in line with official health advice and have cut back on smoking, according to a nationwide lifestyle survey.

The 2024 edition of the national health monitor, conducted by public health institute RIVM, national statistics agency CBS and local health services (GGD), found that 45% of adults now drink no alcohol or no more than one glass of alcohol per day. That figure is up from 42% in 2022.

In addition, one in five adults (22%) said they had not drunk any alcohol at all in the past year, a figure which is unchanged from the previous survey.

Regional differences

There are, however, large regional differences in alcohol use. In Flevoland, 53% of residents follow the alcohol guidelines, the highest proportion in the country.  By contrast, people in parts of Noord-Brabant, Twente and Noord-Holland are the heaviest drinkers, with only 42% meeting the “one or no drink” a day rule.

The data also show that men, younger people and those with higher education qualifications (hbo or university level) are less likely to follow the guidelines.

“It is encouraging to see more people drinking little or no alcohol, but a large group still consumes too much,” said Ton Coenen, director of GGD GHOR Nederland. “We must continue to invest in targeted prevention, especially for the groups that are lagging behind.”

The study also looked at smoking and physical activity. On average, 16% of adults smoke, with the highest rate in the Amsterdam region (20%) and the lowest in the  north of Noord-Holland province (13%). The figures show a slow decline in smoking, in line with the goal in the National Prevention Agreement to reduce smoking to below 5% by 2040.

“Too many people still smoke, with serious health consequences,” said Coenen. “We also need to prevent people from switching to vapes, which are addictive and harmful, especially for young people.”

Exercise targets

More people are taking part in physical activity. In 2024, 57% of adults exercised weekly, up from 51% while in Amsterdam, the figure reached 65%.

Yet just under half the population do not meet the official exercise guidelines, which recommend 2.5 hours of moderate activity per week and muscle-strengthening exercises twice weekly.

Nearly half a million people aged 18 and over took part in the survey by completing a questionnaire about their health, lifestyle and living environment.