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Committee on Nutrition

The Committee on Nutrition focuses on questions about the quality, production and consumption of foods. This involves looking at both the required energy and nutrients and the potential health risks of nutrients, foods and food patterns. Moreover, the committee follows scientific developments regarding a number of issues which generate a lot of public interest, such as the obesity problem and dietary guidelines for pregnant women and young children.

Advising on the Dutch dietary guidelines is a regular task of the Health Council; the current version dates from 2015. Since 2023, the Standing Committee on Nutrition started working on the next update. Based on the current state of science, the committee evaluates whether the existing Dutch dietary guidelines can be maintained or should be amended. The committee also examines whether there is a scientific basis for adding new guidelines. The Dutch dietary guidelines focus on the prevention of chronic diseases, but environmental aspects are also taken into account. The publication of a first advisory report is expected at the end of 2025. In this report, the committee will advise on dietary sources of protein. This concerns meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes and vegetable substitutes for meat, fish and dairy.

The membership of the committee may differ from one advice to another. Because a permanent committee addresses more than one topic, potential conflicts of interests of committee members will be re-evaluated at the start of each advisory process. The composition of the Committee by advice can be found on the last page of the advisory report.

Members

  • Prof. M. Visser, Professor of Healthy Aging, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, chair
  • Prof. J.W.J. Beulens, Professor of lifestyle and cardiometabolic disease epidemiology, Amsterdam UMC, vice chair
  • Dr. L. Afman, associate professor molecular nutrition, Wageningen UR
  • Prof. S.J.L. Bakker, Professor of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen
  • Dr. K.A.C. Berk, Registered Dietitian and Assistant Professor Department of Internal Medicine at Erasmus MC, Rotterdam 
  • Prof. E.E. Blaak, Professor of Humane Biology with special emphasis on Nutrition and Obesity, Maastricht University
  • Prof. H. Boersma, Professor of clinical epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases,  Erasmus MC, Rotterdam
  • Prof. I.A. Brouwer, Professor of Nutrition for Healthy Living, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Prof. J.B. van Goudoever, Professor of Paediatrics, Amsterdam UMC
  • Prof. M.T.E. Hopman, Professor of Integrative Physiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen
  • Prof. J. Plat, Professor of Physiology of Nutrition, Maastricht University
  • Prof. E.W.M.L. de Vet, Dean University College Tilburg and Professor Tilburg University
  • Dr. J. Verkaik-Kloosterman, nutritionist, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, structurally consulted expert

Observers:

  • Dr. E.J. Brink, The Netherlands Nutrition Centre, The Hague
  • J.M. van Delft, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague

Scientific Secretaries:

  • Dr. J. de Goede, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr. L.M. Hengeveld, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr. K.G. van der Mark-Reeuwijk, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr. I. Sluijs, Health Council, The Hague
  • Dr. C.J.K. Spaaij, Health Council, The Hague