In the space of about 150 years, the Dutch have gone from being one of Europe's smallest people to the tallest in the world. A look at what may have caused this.
While obesity has tripled in many Western European countries since the 1980s, the Dutch keep growing upwards. The average height is now 6 feet 1 inch for Dutch men and 5 feet 7 inches for Dutch women. So why are the Dutch so tall? Theories abound. An often-heard argument is the Dutch love of dairy and their protein-rich diet, but there are also serious studies that look at height differences, and the Dutch pop up time and again in many of them.
Factors Influencing Height
The study of human stature is called auxology. It is a relatively new area, but one that has already thrown up some interesting results. There is a widely excepted evolutionary idea that each generation is fitter and taller than the last. This appears not to be the case at all. In Northern Europe, human height reached a high around 800 A.D., but then dropped to a low in the 17th century before climbing back up again.
Two main factors seem to have caused this dip. The first was the growth of cities: the more people were clustered together, the less food there was to go round and the faster diseases spread; the second was the drop in global temperatures, during what is known as the Little Ice Age. Findings such as these have made it clear that human height is not just linked to genetics or diet, but is much more sensitive to a range of influences than was previously thought.
Spreading the Wealth
The most convincing argument for why the Dutch have grown so tall so recently was put forward by J.W. Drukker, a professor of economic history at the University of Groningen. His studies revealed that the Dutch growth spurt of the mid-19th century coincided with the establishment of the first liberal democracy. Before this time, Holland had grown rich off its colonies but the wealth had stayed in the hands of the elite. After this time, the wealth began to trickle down to all levels of society, the average income went up and so did the height.
Since then, the gap between the rich and poor in Holland has remained relatively narrow, and the country now has some of the best pre- and postnatal care in the world. This is in direct contrast to America, for example, where the population, once more than 3 inches taller than the average Dutchman, has not increased in height for 25 years. Although America itself is wealthy, the wealth is not evenly distributed.
Protecting Tall Interests
There is now a large enough group of Dutch people who exceed the average height to warrant the founding of Klub Lange Mensen (Tall Person’s Club) to protect their interests. In order to become a member, men have to be taller than 6 feet 3 inches and women 5 feet 11 inches.
Cor de Graaf, Acting Secretary of KLM, is 6 feet 8 inches and well acquainted with the practical annoyances of being tall. "I’ve never experienced discrimination, but I was often teased at school because I was always a head taller than everyone else. KLM raises awareness about the problems exceptionally tall people face, and campaigns on their behalf for thing such as bicycles with larger frames and beds and mattresses longer than two meters [6 feet 6 inches]," he says.
So will the Dutch just keep on growing? While some have argued that the Dutch could grow another 4 inches, others state that an average of 6 feet 2 inches for men and 5 feet 8 inches for women is the theoretical ideal for an optimum standard of living. In the meantime, the Dutch can continue to reap the benefits of excellent healthcare, a decent diet and always being able to see at concerts.
The copyright of the article Why Are the Dutch so Tall? in Dutch History is owned by Cecily Layzell. Permission to republish Why Are the Dutch so Tall? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
the idea that the average height in Holland is the result of more evenly
distributed wealth would be acceptable if not for the claim that it does
not relate directly to access to nutrition and health care. this acertion
requires more explanation to be even vaguely conciderable. i think it would
be a far more revealing and engaging course of research to consider what
has occured genetically in Hollands population over the past 150 years.
could it be that "the right mix" of genes could produce tall
stature in homo sapiens given favorable conditions w/regard to health care
and nutrition? certainly enviromental conditions would come into play to
influence healthcare and ones ability to feed ones self. i would welcome
any conversation on this subject. M.H.
Apr 28, 2009 9:42 PM
Guest :
Perhaps a more obvious answer.
The Netherlands is one of the
most intensively farmed countries in the world.
The article
refers to the Dutch love of dairy and their protein-rich diet.
As the old adage goes- you are what you eat.
I would suggest
that there is a very strong link between the amount of steroids and growth
hormones that have been forcibly pumped into their livestock and the
consequent increases in average height.
May 6, 2009 5:25 PM
Guest :
Hate to burst your obvious answer, but unlike the United States, it is
illegal to feed livestock steroids or growth hormones in the Netherlands.
Laws regarding animal processing are extremely strict and very naturally
oriented. Their height can be attributed to the high amount of dairy
products consumed couple with their extremely high lactose tolerance, as
well as the elevation they live at (people at higher elevations tend to be
shorter), and an overall well-established public health care system. If you
have ever seen Dutch people, you would know that they are tall, but not
particularly big. Hence it is a growth of the skeletal structure more than
anything else. Steroids and growth hormones would also enhance muscular
tissue growth, which is definitely not the case.
Jun 18, 2009 4:26 PM
Guest :
I am puzzled by the seemingly anti-American (or at least America-critical)
tenor of your comments, specifically the statement that wealth in the U.S.
is unevenly distributed. I'd like to point out since the last quarter of
the twentieth century, large numbers of people from other countries have
emigrated to the U.S. Many of them belong to ethnic groups who are
generally of smaller stature. I myself am 173 cm or so, and I consider
myself to be of average height (at least in my family). There are many
well-to-do individuals of smaller stature in the U.S.
Jul 8, 2009 10:49 AM
Guest :
Could there be a genetic reason? I am no expert, but I am of Dutch descent
and I am much taller than is normal for my age. I am 14 years old and 6
feet 3 inches tall.
Aug 21, 2009 11:56 PM
Guest :
During the 1950's through to the 70's the Dutch injected their dairy cows
with growth hormone to increase yields. It is during this period that much
of the increase in height occured. This practice is now abandoned so future
generations are likely to have a more normal stature.The Dutch have
increasing spinal problems which is a big worry as the population ages.
Sep 10, 2009 12:47 PM
Guest :
I think it's all about genetics. I have a dad who is 6'6 and a mom who is
5'11 and yes they're big people, but nobody expected my brothers to be 6'10
and 7'1 and for me to be 7'6... it has to the genetics of our parents
breeds tall people
Sep 17, 2009 11:09 PM
Guest :
The tallest average Americans are African-Americans, precisely the group
that contradicts all the theories put forth by the experts in the Suite101
article to explain the disparity between the U.S. and the Netherlands. In
contrast, during the past 25 years, when America's average height remained
unchanged, immigrants, many from Mexico, other Hispanic communities and
Asia were added to the American melting pot - and probably prevented the
average for America to rise. As the second and third generation of these
new immigrants benefit from living in the US, their average height and the
overall average height of Americans with it will again increase.
What is the most interesting theory - touched upon by a comment, not the
experts (no surprise there) - is the role of lactose tolerance among the
northern Europeans, Dutch and others, which increases dairy consumption and
may well explain the height disparity.
Bottom line, the
superficial analysis in the Suite101 article with its anti-American
addendum is not the explanation. As usual, those who are driven in their
science by their politics end up with bad science and bad politics.
Sep 25, 2009 10:54 PM
Guest :
I'm Dutch, born in 1957, and at 6'4" I feel like I'm just an average
Joe while walking through Amsterdam. Our Dutch brothers who left the
homeland in the 1600+ to i.e. South Africa our tall too. Take a look at the
Springboks, the SA rugby team. All of their "big-guys" are of
Dutch origin. So, 350+ years ago, they left the common genepool and
continue to evolve to be tall as well.
E.L.
Oct 14, 2009 4:16 AM
Guest :
They're just trying to keep their heads above water.
