Dutch people seem to be taller than folk from other parts of northern
Europe. My dutch housemate says that it is because they ride bicycles
and climb stairs. I figure it's due to selective breeding, due to some
cultural love of things tall.

Why are the Dutch tall?

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Clarification of Question by robertskelton-ga on 06 Feb 2004 14:12 PST

Just a couple of points...

1) I haven't even vaguely searched for an answer, am having a lazy,
self-indulgent weekend. So don't be put off by a researcher asking a
question.

2) Seeing as comments below link to statistical averages, it might not
be a question of why they are tall, but rather why so few of them are
short...

Anecdotal...not very explicative...but funny. :)

http://www.rnw.nl/health/html/tall_dutch.html

No explanation is given, but there are some interesting statistics here:

"The mean height of UK citizens is 1,755.1mm (5ft 9in). Among European
men only the Dutch are taller, averaging 1,795mm and with a clear
height advantage over the US men's average of 1,760.4.

The average British woman is 1,620mm tall (just under 5ft 4in),
compared with 1,604mm for her French counterpart, 1,610mm for the
Italians and 1,619mm for the Germans. Swedish women average 1,640mm,
Dutch 1,650mm and Americans 1,626.7mm."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,781616,00.html

I'm not sure your assumption is fully right, Robert,

I'm working as a Dutch journalist in China and always thought I could
recognized Dutch. As a reporter I often join business delegations when
they pass by in Shanghai. One time I was rather late and jumped on the
bus that was about to leave. Suddenly I discovered I was chatting in
Dutch to the Norwegian crown prince: wrong bus.
At least Norwegians also belong in the same league.

I lived in Holland for 5 years and, generally, I did not find the
Dutch people particularly tall.

However, being reasonably tall myself (6ft), I guess I may have a
different perspective on these things.

If the tallness of the Dutch has anything to do with chocolate, I'll
bet you can expect an answer from Missy. ;-)

This fella:

http://www.acs.ohio-state.edu/units/research/archive/taller.htm

says it's a reflection of the overall health care delivery.  The
better a country's system is at reaching ALL its citizens, the taller
the populace will be, on average.  That's why the US has been
dethroned as a country of tall people, since our health care system
struggles -- and often fails -- to reach the masses.

Hey Pink

"British woman is 1,620mm tall (just under 5ft 4in)" 

I'm in the UK, 5ft 4.5 inches (proud of that .5!), and most women seem
to be taller than me.

As for the Dutch, are they taller?  Hmmm don't really know. Once a
Dutch guy starts talking English in that melt-inducing accent, I just
don't notice inches any more ;p

Rutger Hauer could be three feet tall, and I'd still quiver and drool.

I've got the answer!

(And I am not even a Researcher)

It's because the country is so flat and so waterlogged. Therefore
anything taller than a Dutch pancake will appear tall.

It's an optical illusion ... Or rather an hallucination induced by
visiting too many of their so-called 'coffee houses' (The ones with
photos of Bob Marley on the walls) ... You know ... The ones where
they ask you which menu you would like.

Man after a few coffees, everyone feels high.

Inspired by Pinky, just read a bio on Rutger Hauer.

Yes, he is Durch and his height is given as 6'2" but, as the writers
of actors' bios always exaggerate, this means that he's probably 5'4½"
(about the same height as Tehuti).

Critically, (according to the bio) 'he spent much of his earlier years
in the Amsterdam Coffee Houses'. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)

My case rests.

Dutch Wooden Shoes - Clogs.  

Best regards,
tlspiegel

Ask a dutchman why he is so tall, and he will answer: because I was
kicked in the butt so many times when growing up.

not everybody in to the netherlands is tall its different in hole the country
In the middle are the people smaller than in to the north also are the
people into the south small
i discoverd this when we wher on holyday in to de north of the netherlands
Orange

and i'm duth
bye

Why are the Dutch so tall? 
Chicago Tribune Jul 4 2004
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept(must
be a member)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My, how the Dutch have grown 
Chicago Tribune Jul 4 2004
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept(must
be a member)

Summary:
At the end of World War II, the average American male was nearly 5
foot 10, while the average Dutchman measured little more than 5 foot
7. But starting in the 1950s, the Dutch began shooting up, an average
of almost an inch per decade, to the point that the average height for
an adult Dutch male today is just under 6 foot 1.

"...More milk products, smaller families and better hygiene--those are
the main reasons why the Dutch have increased in length," Bruintjes
said. "But I also think there must be something in our genetic
makeup."  Genetics may hold some answers to why Bruintjes, 53, is at
least a head taller than his neighbors, but researchers say it doesn't
shed much light on why the Dutch as a whole are so much taller than
the Americans or the Italians or the Greeks..."

Higher income is also slated as a reason for the increased hieght.

"My theory is that God made the Dutch so tall so that nobody would
dare laugh at them for the word order in their sentences."

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22dutch+so+tall%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=newscache%24da26vg%24xw8%241%40lnews.actcom.co.il&rnum=1

One more:
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040405fa_fact