Abstract

Part I of the Public Health Status and Forecasts (PHSF) 1997 provides an overview of the health status of the Dutch population and its developments over time. Specific topics addressed include: basic data on health and health determinants at this moment, recent developments in the health status and its determinants and backgrounds of these developments. In co-operation with many experts from throughout the Netherlands an enormous quantity of information has been collected about our health status, lifestyle and other factors that affect our health. The data show that life expectancy of the population is still increasing and the gap between men and women is narrowing. The reason for this is the stronger decrease in mortality from cardiovascular diseases among men than among women and the decrease of mortality from lung cancer among men, while mortality from lung cancer among women increases. The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia has markedly decreased, thanks to a changing nutrition pattern. Alarming and unfavourable trends were seen in life style risk factors in young people: an increase in smoking, use of alcohol and use of drugs. In comparison with the previous PHSF (1993) more information about the occurrence of mental disorders is available.