Unhealthy food outlets dominate Dutch cities, say researchers
The food in 10 major Dutch cities has become less healthy over the past decade, according to new research by...
New research from Amsterdam UMC reveals that unhealthy food outlets have become more prevalent in 10 major Dutch cities over the past decade. Health officials in these cities have written to Health Minister Sophie Hermans, urging her to expedite a food law allowing councils to limit unhealthy food outlets. Researchers evaluated 31 types of food establishments, from greengrocers to fast-food chains, using a scoring system that combined expert ratings with checks of over 83,000 products against the Dutch "Wheel of Five" healthy eating guidelines.
Each neighborhood received a score ranging from -500 (extremely unhealthy) to +500 (extremely healthy) based on the type, quantity, and proximity of nearby outlets. All 10 cities scored negatively in both 2014 and 2024, with scores ranging from -252 in Groningen to -327 in Leiden. Amsterdam's score decreased from -287 in 2014 to -301 in 2024.
Seventy-seven percent of neighborhoods saw their scores drop in 2024 compared to 2014. In Amsterdam, 96% of food outlets fall into the researchers' unhealthy categories. Eighty-seven of the city's 90 secondary schools and vocational colleges are located in what the report describes as a "very unhealthy" food environment. The councils argue they currently lack a clear legal basis to deny outlets selling unhealthy food.
This situation means young people are constantly exposed to an offer that makes healthy choices more difficult, according to Amsterdam health executive Alexander Scholtes.
Written by urgent.news from DutchNews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
