The new prevention strategy focuses on 7 environments in which children and young people grow up and develop: at home, at school, at work, in the supermarket, online, in healthcare, and during a day out. In all these environments, living healthily must become easier. The ambition remains: a healthy generation by 2040. But the way of achieving this is changing. The starting point is: not by imposing things, but by making healthy choices more attractive, simpler, and more logical.

Although more and more people are making healthier choices – there is less smoking and less problematic alcohol use among adults – there are also worrying developments. We are dealing with declining vaccination rates, vaping and its consequences are taking worrying forms, and instead of exercising, children spend a lot of time behind screens and on social media. This has serious long-term health consequences and also affects the affordability of healthcare in the future. The new strategy focuses on prevention where it has the most impact: with the youth, and where the living environment has a significant influence.

State Secretary Karremans: “Of course, you determine how you live, and what you eat and drink. The government should not interfere with that. But we also see that it is sometimes made very difficult for you to choose healthily. Just take your children to the zoo or an amusement park – plenty of snacks, but an apple or healthy sandwich is often nowhere to be found. We want to change that. Not by looking into your shopping basket, but by ensuring that healthy choices become easier and more natural.”

The strategy builds on the National Prevention Agreement and expands it to themes that now require extra attention, such as vaccinations, drug use, screen time, hearing damage, and sexual health. New is the targeted approach per living environment, with concrete and feasible measures, such as:

• At Home: We make vaccination easier and provide better information, especially in neighborhoods where vaccination rates lag.
• At School: Municipalities are given the space to take local additional measures to make the healthy choice easier around schools.
• In Supermarkets: We make concrete agreements with supermarkets to increase the share of healthy products.
• In Healthcare: In collaboration with the RIVM and Soa Aids Nederland, we promote condom use among young people.
• Online: We come up with clear guidelines for parents regarding screen time and social media.
• In Leisure: We make concrete agreements about more healthy options at amusement parks and have discussions about smoke-free areas and less alcohol marketing.
• At Work: There will be more attention to vitality and a healthier food supply.

For all measures, concrete and measurable goals are set. This ensures an approach that can be steered – and adjusted if it can be improved. This strategy is a living document: pragmatic, flexible, and focused on what really works.