Knowledge level of the Dutch about alcohol is sadly low

With an average score of 5.1, it can be concluded that the Dutch have little knowledge about the health risks of alcohol. At the request of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Trimbos Institute, 1,339 Dutch people were asked about the harmful effects of alcohol on the body, health and society.

For example, only 5% knew that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer, 3% that there is a link between alcohol use and dementia, one in five people knew that alcohol also increases the risk of colon cancer and only a third of the respondents knew the full advice that the Health Council issued in 2015: do not drink alcohol or in any case no more than one glass a day. One bright spot: nine out of ten respondents said that alcohol is bad for the liver.

Broad awareness campaigns

The results of the survey and the fact that there are 1.1 million excessive drinkers in the Netherlands (more than 21 drinks a week for men and more than 14 drinks a week for women), based on figures in 2018, are the reason for a broad awareness campaign. It has been agreed in the National Prevention Agreement that 80% of the Dutch will be familiar with the guideline of the Health Council in 2040. Anyone who wants to put their alcohol consumption on a break for a month in the new year can register with IkPas for the Dry January promotion via www.ikpas. NL. More than 11,000 people have already signed up for this.