The Dutch diet is improving slightly but most people still don’t adhere to the official health eating guidelines, public health institute RIVM said on Thursday.

In particular, people are eating more vegetables and fruit, unsalted nuts and pulses as well as less red and processed meat, the RIVM said. Both adults and children are also consuming fewer sugary drinks.

The new research, which dates from 2021, shows that people are now eating an average of 163 grammes of vegetables a day, compared with 128 grammes in 2010. In total, 27% of the population eat the recommended amount of veg and 19% the recommended level of fruit.

The consumption of red and processed meat is down 20% and tea and water are also replacing sugar-filled drinks, the survey of 3,500 adults and children showed. And just under half of Dutch adults are keeping to the recommendation of no more than one alcoholic drink a day.

‘On the downside the consumption of dairy products has fallen by 10% despite recommendations to maintain current levels,’ the RIVM said. ‘Fewer people are eating fish once a week and the use of food supplements is going up.’