Evidence Record

Netherlands

Western Europe

Leading cause: Cancer · 51% plant-based · 82.3 yr life expectancy · UHC 85/100

Heart Disease

77 / 100k

Plant-Based Score

51%

Life Expectancy

82.3 yr

Alzheimer's Prevalence

4.4%

What People Eat

Whole-plant-food score 51%

Animal foods

30%

Plant foods

64%

Added sugars

13%

% of dietary energy (calories) · Diet breakdown: share of dietary energy supply by food group, FAO Food Balance Sheets via Our World in Data.

Rotterdam Study: adherence to a Mediterranean plant-based diet reduces dementia and Alzheimer's risk by 35%.

Disease Burden

Leading cause of death: Cancer · 159 / 100k

Cancer

159

Heart Disease

Respiratory

Stroke

Kidney Disease

Diabetes

Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.

Cancer (159/100k) leads Dutch mortality while heart disease (77/100k) is low. The Rotterdam Study found that adherence to a Mediterranean, plant-forward diet was associated with 35% lower dementia and Alzheimer's risk, a notable lever given an ageing population.

Healthcare System

Universal health coverage index 85/100

Health spending per person $6,850

Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.

What Could Improve

Shift toward the Mediterranean plant-forward pattern the Rotterdam Study links to 35% lower dementia risk.
Reduce processed meat and added sugar.
Use excellent healthcare coverage to prioritise dietary prevention of cancer and cognitive decline.

Explore the evidence: Cancer

Rotterdam Study · Akbaraly et al., 2020 · 10,000+ participants

→ 35% dementia reduction with plant-forward diet

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