Public spaces in the Netherlands need to be drastically overhauled to get people moving. People should be able to walk, cycle, play and exercise in a quarter of the public space in the Netherlands. That is almost double the current situation (13 percent). The RIVM writes this in a report that will be released this Thursday and was written at the request of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, municipalities, GGDs and provinces. The institute speaks of a “major task”.
It has been known for some time that many Dutch people have health problems because they exercise too little. Half of people are unable to exercise moderately intensively for 2.5 hours a week and do muscle and bone strengthening exercises, as the Health Council advises. This can lead to conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that approximately 5,800 people per year die directly from the consequences of insufficient exercise, and by 2050 almost 65 percent of Dutch people are at risk of being overweight (currently this is just over half).
Cabinets, provinces and municipalities have long wanted to get more people moving, but in practice this has not been possible – also due to fragmented and ineffective policy. Research recently showed that NRC that residents of the big cities have had less space to play sports in ten years because fields and sports halls have been replaced by houses and offices.
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One problem is that there are currently no standards or rules for making space ‘exercise and sports friendly’. No standards for how many sports fields there should be in a municipality, but also no clear rules or even a shared idea about a public space that entices people to exercise. While much research shows that ‘soft values’, such as properly organizing the environment where people live, can help people live healthier lives.
Rules of thumb
That is precisely why the ministry and municipal and provincial officials wanted the RIVM to develop ‘rules of thumb’ for this, analogous to the so-called rules for greenery in the city. This means: three trees visible from every house, 30 percent coverage by tree crowns in every neighborhood and three hundred meters distance for everyone to a park or greenery. This ‘soft rule’ was devised a few years ago by an expert, and has since been used by various municipalities and provinces when making policy.
In addition to the most important rule of thumb to have a quarter of the public space for exercise, the RIVM recommends that children up to the age of twelve have a play area within two hundred meters of walking or cycling distance. Facilities such as the supermarket, the doctor and the primary school should also be within eight hundred meters for everyone. Furthermore, every house should have at least three different types of sports facilities within a mile of walking or cycling distance. The researchers also argue for more greenery and outdoor space where people can meet each other.
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The researchers recognize that each district and area requires a different approach. They write that, for example, more may be necessary in densely populated urban areas, and that in rural areas different, or fewer, interventions may be necessary.
Not decorated like that at all
People will exercise more if the environment is ‘more exercise-friendly’, the RIVM concludes. A person who lives in a neighborhood where a quarter of the public space is suitable for walking, cycling, exercising or playing has 7 percent more chance of meeting the Health Council’s exercise guidelines. “The rule of thumb of 25 percent […] can be regarded as a recommended minimum,” the researchers write.
The Netherlands is currently not yet organized according to the advice of the RIVM. In general, about 11 percent of public outdoor space is intended for pedestrians or cyclists – according to the institute, this should be 15 percent. There are now sports and play areas on 2 percent of the current land area – that should be 10 percent. Although general figures do not say everything: the situation and needs differ per neighborhood, and some neighborhoods are already 25 percent equipped for exercise, sports and games.
Whether this is all practically feasible remains to be seen. This was already evident in workshops where civil servants worked with models. They saw that results could be achieved quickly if motorways were replaced by bicycle streets. The report states that there are “concerns” among officials about the costs of creating, managing and maintaining all that extra space for exercise, sports and play. write that the rules can help, but are “not sufficient” without administrative support and financial resources.
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