Sport

There are specific health risks for refugees in the Netherlands. Below, a number of common health problems are explained in more detail. The various lifestyle aspects and health skills that play a role in these health risks are also discussed. •Health risks and illness Overweight and obese children of status holders are more likely to be overweight. There is a direct relationship with unhealthy eating habits, poor command of the Dutch language by parents, not having a meaningful daily occupation and inactivity. The number of children with obesity is higher among Syrian, Iraqi, status holders. Overweight and obesity are not common among Eritreans, Somalis and Sudanese, the number of children who suffer from them is considerably lower. However, this group does have lower educated parents on average and that in turn poses additional health risks. In addition, there is a risk that these newcomers will adopt the unhealthy aspects of the Western lifestyle. As a result, they are more likely to develop overweight. Children with overweight and obesity have an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or other chronic conditions.

As with other residents, there are major differences in lifestyle between groups and individuals among status holders. Below are a number of points of attention regarding lifestyle that we can use in the development or implementation of (local) health interventions or policies. Nutrition In the current larger groups of status holders in the Netherlands, we often see unhealthy and one-sided eating among both Eritreans and Syrians. The importance of varied and healthy eating is not on everyone's radar. Among Eritreans, we often see a lot of one-sided and vitamin-poor food and therefore a shortage of essential nutrients. Many of them are not well informed about nutritional advice. Syrians generally eat a lot of meat, fatty and sweet products. In the Netherlands, buying healthy food products is also difficult for many status holders, partly due to the language barrier, unfamiliarity with the nutritional value of products and their preparation method. Children's stress can also lead to more and unhealthy eating.

Children of status holders exercise less than the average Dutch children. Among previous refugee groups, insufficient (healthy) exercise was twice as common. Often, playing sports in a club is an unknown phenomenon for them. For many status holder children, developing a physically active lifestyle is not self-evident. In Syria, Iran and Iraq, significantly less physical education is given at schools compared to the Netherlands. As a result, there is often a lack of knowledge about why exercise is important. Children often start playing sports, but after a few weeks they stop. On the one hand, this has to do with discipline, on the other hand with a form of 'status'. In these countries, it is not customary to cycle, run on the street or play sports in a club. For girls from these countries, it is even more sensitive. Cultural rules can also hinder playing sports. In Eritrea, playing sports or cycling is common. Popular sports include running, cycling and football. They often play a game of football among themselves. When people come to live in the Netherlands, unfamiliarity with certain exercise activities in the neighbourhood and the costs of these can be an obstacle to actually starting to exercise.

Some of the status holders' parents have limited health skills, partly as a result of their low level of education. •Health skills are of great importance for maintaining or improving one's own health and for a healthy lifestyle. Syrian parents have an average level of education that is comparable to the Dutch population, but the language barrier can still be a stumbling block. Eritrean parents are on average less educated. The combination of a low level of education, the language barrier and unfamiliarity with Dutch healthcare means that relatively many status holders have insufficient health skills. These skills can improve as the Dutch language is better mastered. For some of the status holders, particularly from Eritrea, limited health skills will continue to be a point of attention. That is why it is important that we take this into account in our information and preventive activities.