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I don't know the proper sources, but I've read in several places that the Netherlands continues to have rising obesity despite making exactly those sorts of ref

I don't know the proper sources, but I've read in several places that the Netherlands continues to have rising obesity despite making exactly those sorts of reforms over the past ~40 years.

Gud 2y ago
I've lived and worked a lot and in Netherlands and I wouldn't portray it as some exceptionally walkable country. In my opinion, the Netherlands is definitely a car country.
- banish-m4 2y ago
  Netherlands is a bicycle country. There are fucking bicycle highways and extensive safe, multimode traffic design patterns everywhere. I've ridden them from Amsterdam through the countryside to Belgium. And you haven't been to Los Angeles, Texas, or Florida if you call Netherlands a "car country".
  - Tijdreiziger 2y ago
    40% of rides in the Netherlands are taken by car, vs. only 28% by bicycle. [1] [1] https://www.kimnet.nl/publicaties/publicaties/2023/11/14/mobiliteitsbeeld-2023 https://www.kimnet.nl/publicaties/publicaties/2023/11/14/mob...
    - banish-m4 2y ago
      "Only" 28%? That's damn impressive. In the US, it's around 0.3%. In bicycle-friendly Oregon, it's only 1%. That's an order-of-magnitude to 2 more. https://www.bicycleretailer.com/studies-reports/2021/05/20/bike-commuting-almost-doubles-over-past-two-decades-according-report https://www.bicycleretailer.com/studies-reports/2021/05/20/b...
  - Gud 2y ago
    Yes, there is a lot of bicycling happening in the Netherlands. My point is, it’s not very walkable.
- reacharavindh 2y ago
  As like most places, you cannot generalise a country. Netherlands has bike lanes _everywhere_. People use it. The cities (Randstad) encourages bike commute for everything. Driving a car around is almost cumbersome. Traffic, parking etc. Bikes are easier. The countryside, life in farms and farmhouses are obviously more car friendly and in need of a car for better quality of life. Food in the Netherlands has both extremes. Fried food, and pre-processed food? Check. However, you can also find healthy option almost everywhere including vegetarian/vegan options, non alcoholic beverages everywhere, and portion sizes are normal compared to American sizes. I used to live in the US, and now in Netherlands and do own a car for those weekend trips and occasional long drives across Europe. I would not categorise NL as a car country. Majority of the times, one does not need a car to get groceries.
fransje26 2y ago
Well, the local diet isn't particularly great, with a strong preference for preprocessed food (kant en klaar). And it could could be argued that the quality of the fresh produce coming from their greenhouses is also suboptimal, from a nutritional point of view..

I don't know the proper sources, but I've read in several places that the Netherlands continues to have rising obesity despite making exactly those sorts of reforms over the past ~40 years.

Gud 2y ago

I've lived and worked a lot and in Netherlands and I wouldn't portray it as some exceptionally walkable country. In my opinion, the Netherlands is definitely a car country.

banish-m4 2y ago
Netherlands is a bicycle country. There are fucking bicycle highways and extensive safe, multimode traffic design patterns everywhere. I've ridden them from Amsterdam through the countryside to Belgium. And you haven't been to Los Angeles, Texas, or Florida if you call Netherlands a "car country".
- Tijdreiziger 2y ago
  40% of rides in the Netherlands are taken by car, vs. only 28% by bicycle. [1] [1] https://www.kimnet.nl/publicaties/publicaties/2023/11/14/mobiliteitsbeeld-2023 https://www.kimnet.nl/publicaties/publicaties/2023/11/14/mob...
  - banish-m4 2y ago
    "Only" 28%? That's damn impressive. In the US, it's around 0.3%. In bicycle-friendly Oregon, it's only 1%. That's an order-of-magnitude to 2 more. https://www.bicycleretailer.com/studies-reports/2021/05/20/bike-commuting-almost-doubles-over-past-two-decades-according-report https://www.bicycleretailer.com/studies-reports/2021/05/20/b...
- Gud 2y ago
  Yes, there is a lot of bicycling happening in the Netherlands. My point is, it’s not very walkable.
reacharavindh 2y ago
As like most places, you cannot generalise a country. Netherlands has bike lanes _everywhere_. People use it. The cities (Randstad) encourages bike commute for everything. Driving a car around is almost cumbersome. Traffic, parking etc. Bikes are easier. The countryside, life in farms and farmhouses are obviously more car friendly and in need of a car for better quality of life. Food in the Netherlands has both extremes. Fried food, and pre-processed food? Check. However, you can also find healthy option almost everywhere including vegetarian/vegan options, non alcoholic beverages everywhere, and portion sizes are normal compared to American sizes. I used to live in the US, and now in Netherlands and do own a car for those weekend trips and occasional long drives across Europe. I would not categorise NL as a car country. Majority of the times, one does not need a car to get groceries.

fransje26 2y ago

Well, the local diet isn't particularly great, with a strong preference for preprocessed food (kant en klaar). And it could could be argued that the quality of the fresh produce coming from their greenhouses is also suboptimal, from a nutritional point of view..