Retirees have the healthiest diets, teenagers are slaves to sugar

In the Netherlands, people over 65 have the healthiest diets, according to a survey by the statistics agency CBS and data provided by the public health institute RIVM and the center for healthy eating Voedingscentrum .

Teenagers aged 12 to 18 make the unhealthiest food choices, according to guidelines Schijf van vijf, the five official indicators of a healthy diet for each age group.

Age plays a role in food choices, according to CBS, with young children eating healthier diets than teenagers. From the age of 18, food choices also become healthier.

For example, older people drink fewer sugary drinks and eat fewer unhealthy snacks. Toddlers and primary school children are big consumers of fruit.

Three-quarters of those aged 12 to 18 surveyed said they eat more than three unhealthy snacks a week, while more than a third said they drink a sugary drink every day. The majority, about 86%, did not eat the recommended two fruits per day.

Women eat healthier diets than men across the board, with the biggest difference in consumption of sugary drinks.

In a previous CBS survey on perceptions of people’s eating habits, two-thirds of people over 18 said they thought they were eating healthily. Those over 45 can obtain information from the Schijf van vijf and the advice of their doctor while the youngest consulted food applications, social networks or influencers for inspiration.