What keeps people from eating healthier?
Nearly half of Dutch adults who want to eat more healthily say that now and again they are swayed by others to eat unhealthy products. Thirty-nine percent find it difficult to say no to unhealthy food. Fewer people (17 percent) say they do not have enough money to buy healthy products. Most adults who want to follow a healthier diet say they do know which food products are healthy and which aren’t (87 percent).
In 2022, 36 percent of adults said they wanted to eat a healthier diet. Fifty-eight percent said they didn’t need to because they already ate healthily. Five percent are not bothered by what they eat and 1 percent do not think a healthy diet is important. More than half of obese people (54 percent) say they want to eat a healthier diet.
Lower risk of health problems and disease
Most people want to eat more healthily to lower the risk of health problems and illness. Over half give this as their motive. Relatively many people also say feeling physically fitter is a reason for a healthier diet (28 percent). Ten percent said losing weight, looking better, or not gaining weight were motives for healthier eating.
to have a healthier diet)Hide datatableReasons for a healthier diet¹⁾, 2022 (% of over-18s who want
to have a healthier diet)
| Reden | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Lower the risk of health problems and illness |
53.6 |
| Feel physically fitter | 28.4 |
| Lose weight, look better or not gain weight |
9.5 |
| Reduce or cure health problems or illness |
3.9 |
| Feel mentally better | 2.9 |
| Other | 0.8 |
| ¹⁾Multiple answers possible. | |
It’s hard to say no if others don’t say no to unhealthy food
People who want to eat more healthily mostly have problems saying no to unhealthy foods if they are with others who do eat them. Over half of people asked about this find this difficult. Forty-six percent said they struggle not to eat unhealthy products in times of stress, 43 percent said it is difficult if unhealthy products are in the house. Both being in a hurry and being at home alone are mentioned by one third.
to have a healthier diet)Hide datatableSaying no to unhealthy food, 2022 (% of over-18s who want
to have a healthier diet)
| Situatie | (Very) easy | Neither easy nor difficult | (Very) difficult |
|---|---|---|---|
| If with others who eat unhealthy food | 20.4 | 28.9 | 50.8 |
| In times of stress | 26.2 | 28.0 | 45.8 |
| If unhealthy food is in the house | 27.4 | 29.3 | 43.3 |
| If in a hurry | 32.6 | 29.8 | 37.6 |
| If at home alone | 33.6 | 30.1 | 36.3 |
Obese people who want to eat a healthier diet find it especially difficult in stressful situations: 61 percent report this, compared with 40 percent of people in the healthy weight range. When they are at home on their own, too, obese people struggle to stop themselves eating unhealthy foods.
The questions
- What keeps people from eating healthier?
- What is working people’s income?
- How much of the energy we consume is renewable?
- What percentage wears glasses?
- How are the dragonflies and butterflies doing?
- How many housing units are there?
- How does home burglary affect people?
- In what occupations do most people work from home?
- How much more expensive did food get?
- How many babies were born to unmarried mothers?
- From which countries do most immigrants come?
- How many centenarians are there?
- How do fathers and mothers divide work and care?
- How many cars are there?
- How much milk does a cow produce?
- What portion of income went to food in 1936?
- How many pigs were there in 1910?
- How many cattle and pigs in the Netherlands?
- What do we import from China?
- What type of shop is seen less and less?
- How many nights are spent in Dutch hotels?
- How often do older people have contact with neighbours?
- How many adults comply with the physical activity guidelines?
- Where do international students in the Netherlands come from?
- What are the major religions?
- How many litres of water do we use per day?
- How many millionaires in the Netherlands?
- How many inhabitants in the Netherlands??
- Where can we ride our bikes?
- At what age do workers retire?
- Which day has the most birthdays?
- How many people have a student debt?
- How does CBS handle your privacy?