Residents of Limburg and South Holland do not meet Dutch Standard for Healthy Exercise

In 2004 more than half of the Dutch population aged 12 years and older met the Dutch Standard for Healthy Exercise (NNGB). In the provinces of South Holland and Limburg the proportion of residents who complied with the NNGB standard was relatively low.

The NNGB standard by province, 2001-2004

South Holland and Limburg do not meet the standard

If differences in age distribution between the various Dutch provinces are taken into account, nearly half of the population aged 12 years and older inSouth Holland met the NNGB standard.According to regional health authorities (GGDs), the proportion of residents meeting the NNGB requirements was relatively low in Rotterdam, Nieuwe Waterweg Noord and The Hague. In Limburg half of people did not have enough physical exercise, but there was no difference between the various GGD regions in this province.

The NNGB standard in various regions, 2001-2004

Wide differences recorded in province of North Holland

Throughout the province of North Holland the percentage of persons doing enough physical exercise did not veer away from national average. On GGD level, on the other hand, there are large differences. The share of persons complying with the NNGB standard in the Amsterdam region was below the nationwide average. In the northern part of North Holland and West-Friesland, the nationwide average was topped.

Friesland and Overijssel in the lead

In Friesland and Overijssel, proportionally speaking, most people complied with the NNGB standard. In the province of Overijssel this was due to a high score in the GGD region of Twente. In the GGD region of Gelre IJssel, situated in the province of Gelderland, the share of people meeting the NNGB standard was above average.

Obesity plays important part

Disparities between provinces and GGD regions on the one hand and the national average on the other hand, do not relate to the population structure. Obesity,, however, plays an important part. In GGD regions where relatively many people fall short of the NNGB standard, a proportionally high amount of people are suffering from obesity.

Ferdy Otten and Frans Frenken