Dutch kids eat too little fruit, veggies, fish

The majority of children under the age of 13 in the Netherlands eat less fruit, vegetables and fish than the Nutrition Center recommends, according to a health survey by Statistics Netherlands in collaboration with the RIVM and the Nutrition Center. In the period between 2014 and 2016 less than four in ten children ate enough fruit, just over four in ten ate enough vegetables, and little more than half ate enough fish.

The health survey is annually conducted among around 1,100 children. Researchers question the kids' parents about the food they eat.

The survey also found that the older children get, the less likely they are to eat the recommended portions of these healthy foods. Almost half of 1 to 4 year olds ate enough fruit, compared with just over 40 percent of 4 to 9 year olds and around 20 percent of 9 to 12 year olds. Kids with highly educated parents eat healthier than their peers with less educated parents.

The Nutrition Center's guidelines states that children between the ages of 1 and 4 should eat 150 grams of fruit and 50 to 100 grams of vegetables per day, and 50 grams of fish once a week, according to NU.nl. Children between the ages of 4 and 9 years should eat 150 grams of fruit and 100 o 150 grams of vegetables per day, and 50 to 60 grams of fish per week. For kids between 9 and 12, it is 200 grams of fruit, 150 to 200 grams of vegetables and 100 grams of fish.