More than half of Dutch people aged four or older exercised enough in 2019 according to the health guidelines of the Health Council, according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Thursday. Elderly people also move twice as much as almost twenty years ago.
The figures come from the Health Survey / Lifestyle Monitor 2019 of Statistics Netherlands, in collaboration with RIVM.
According to the guidelines, adults should be at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise every week. Children should exercise for at least an hour daily. Young people aged between 12 and 18 and people aged 65 or older are least likely to exercise, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands.
54 percent of the Dutch had moderately intensive exercise every week. The same percentage exercised weekly. Of those over 65, 35 percent exercised at least once a week. Although young people between the ages of 12 and 18 adhere least often to the exercise guidelines, they do exercise most often (71 percent weekly).
Majority does enough muscle and bone strengthening activities
In addition to moderately intensive exercise, the Health Council recommends people to exercise muscle and bone strengthening activities. In this way, the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depressive symptoms can be reduced. The risk of bone fractures is also reduced in the elderly.
82 percent of Dutch people aged four and older did enough muscle and bone strengthening activities in 2019. Nearly all four to 12-year-olds met the standard (99.8 percent), but of those 65 and older, only 75 percent met.
Older people move twice as much in twenty years
Older people have started exercising almost twice as much in just under twenty years. In 2001, 22 percent of the over-65s met the exercise guidelines, by 2019 that percentage had increased to 40 percent.
18 to 65 year olds have also started to exercise a little more. In 2001, 44 percent complied with the guidelines, and 52 percent in 2019.
Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of people who exercise weekly have a gym subscription or are members of a sports association.
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