Abstract

The Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) 2019-2021 shows what Dutch people eat and drink, and how much. The DNFCS also shows the level of adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines and changes to this level since the previous surveys in 2012-2016 and 2007- 2010.

In recent years, the Dutch have been eating more healthily. One of the reasons for this is that they have been eating more vegetable products, such as vegetables, fruit, unsalted nuts and legumes. At the same time, they have been consuming less red and/or processed meat and sugarcontaining beverages. Most improvements are apparent in both adults and children. People have also been using more dietary supplements, including supplements with vitamin D.

In spite of this, the diets of most Dutch people do not comply with the Dutch dietary guidelines. Generally speaking, the diets of women, those aged over 65 and those educated to a higher level follow the Dutch dietary guidelines more closely than the diets of men, young adults and those with a lower level of education. These guidelines form the basis for the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s Wheel of Five. A healthier diet can help prevent overweight and chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease.

For this edition of the survey, RIVM researched the diets of over 3,500 children and adults. The data make it possible for policymakers and professionals to continue their work on the development of healthy and sustainable diets, product innovation, education and research.

This report describes and discusses the survey method and results in detail. It is intended for a target audience of national and international scientists and professionals. The results are available on www.wateetnederland.nl. Results on the quantities of nutrients that the Dutch ingest will be published later in 2023.