People in the Netherlands are making healthier lifestyle choices and increasingly following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines, according to the 2024 Health Monitor by Statistics

Netherlands (CBS), the GGD, and public health institute RIVM. More residents are drinking less, quitting smoking, getting regular exercise—and feeling better overall.

The WHO advises not drinking alcohol, or limiting intake to one drink per day. In 2024, 45% of Dutch adults followed this recommendation, and 20% reported not drinking at all in the past year.

Alcohol habits varied by gender and region. Women were more likely than men to stick to the guidelines (54% vs. 35%). Regionally, Flevoland (53%), Zuid-Holland-Zuid, and Rotterdam-Rijnmond saw the highest compliance. In contrast, adherence was lower in Noord-Brabant, Overijssel, and Noord-Holland. These differences are likely due to factors like age, education, and income, according to CBS.

Smoking rates also continued to drop, with 16% of adults identifying as smokers—down from 17% in 2022. However, vaping has grown in popularity, with usage doubling from 2% in 2020 to 4% in 2024.

Physical activity levels are on the rise. Over half of Dutch adults now meet the WHO’s exercise recommendations—at least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, plus strength training twice a week. Amsterdam had the highest percentage of residents meeting these guidelines (57%), though it also had the highest smoking rate (20%).

When asked about their overall health, 74% of Dutch residents rated it as good or very good—an improvement compared to 2022. Photo by Henri Bergius from Finland, Wikimedia commons.