For years, the Netherlands has been the world's tallest nation. But the average height for Dutch people is shrinking, according to a study published Friday.
Statistics Netherlands (or CBS), a governmentinstitution that gathers statistics about the country, says that Dutch men born in 2001 are0.39 inches(1 centimeter) shorter than those born in 1980. Dutch women are 0.55 inches(1.4 centimeters)shorter. Despite these drops, the Netherlands still has the tallest people in the world – with CBS reporting that today's generation stands, on average, at 6 feet(182.9 centimeters)for men and 5.55 feet(169.3 centimeters)for women.
In their report,the government statisticians concluded that, for most of the 20th century, the Dutch grew taller and taller. But since 1980, that growth stopped.
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Dutch people born in 1980 may have been the tallest in the country's history, with the average heightsof 6 feet(183.9 centimeters)for men and 5.6 feet(170.7 centimeters) for women. This marked a significant growth spurt forthe 20th century — in 1930, for example, Dutch heights averaged at just 5.76 feet(175.6 centimeters)for men and 5.43 feet(165.4 centimeters) for women.
When considering what could have caused the recent drop, the CBS researchers suggested a connection toincreased immigration of new, shorterpopulation groups and the children born from these groups in the Netherlands. But they also noted that growth stagnated in generationsin which both parents were born in the Netherlands, as well as inthose with all four grandparents born in the Netherlands.
Previous studies proposed otherpotential sources for height decrease — including shifts to plant-based diets, increases in weightand the impacts of financial crises.
Gert Stulp, an expert at the University of Groningen’s faculty of behavioral and social sciences, told the Guardian that many theories are speculative at this point, but that it could be eye-openingto investigate further. Scientists maintain, for example,that being taller is associated with longer life-spans, financial stability and career success.
“Perhaps things like the [2007] financial crisis have meant that some children grew up in poorer conditions than in earlier cohorts," he said."Perhaps inequality has risen: we know inequality affects average height, poorer childhood conditions lead to less growth in the vertical direction."
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In terms of diet, Stulp drewparallels to trends in the United States — where height hasplateauedin recent years while weight has increased. According toNational Health Statistics Reports, the average heights in 2015-2016 were 69.1 inches (5.77 feet) among American men and 63.7 inches (5.3 feet) among American women — both slightly less than the numbers in 1999-2000.
“Diets may have changed,” Stulp told the Guardian. “Perhaps diets in the last years had fewer nutrients important for growth. This is believed to be the reason why the Americans are shrinking; poorer diets, more calories, but fewer nutrients."
FAQs
But based on surveys of 719,000 people aged 19 to 60, the CBS has had to report that after a period of stagnation and now clear contraction, Dutch men born in 2001 are on average 1cm shorter than the generation born in the Netherlands in 1980, and Dutch women are 1.4cm smaller.
Why are Dutch getting shorter? ›
However, the current generation of 19-year-old men are on average 1cm smaller than their giant forebears, while women have shrunk by 1.4cm. The report says that the shrinking average is partly to do with immigration, but that growth is also 'stagnating' in people whose parents and grandparents are inbred Dutch.
How tall is the average Dutch woman? ›
The Netherlands leads with an average height of 170.36 cm (5 feet 7.07 inches), followed closely by Montenegro at 169.96 cm (5 feet 6.91 inches). Globally, women stand at an average height of 160.95 cm, ranging from a minimum of 150.91 cm to a maximum of 170.36 cm.
Are Dutch people the tallest people on earth? ›
The Dutch have been the tallest population in the world since 1958, a year before the Dutch women were already the tallest in the world. In the 40's and 50's tall Dutch people were a rare find. Back then, not more than 3 percent of the guys would be taller than 190 centimeters.
Are generations getting shorter in height? ›
Over the past 100 years, Americans went from being some of the tallest people in the world to ranking somewhere smack in the middle. Though bias from self-reporting has long been considered a factor in this height assessment, experts have confirmed that the population is indeed becoming shorter.
Is 6ft 2 tall in the Netherlands? ›
I am 6ft2, and i don't feel especially tall in the Netherlands, i feel maybe a bit taller than average (just like that stats say). 6′2 is very common in the Netherlands. It's considered taller than average, but not uncommon. 6ft6 (2.00m) and taller and 5ft7(1.75m) and smaller are considered big and small (for males).
What caused the downfall of Dutch? ›
The Anglo-Dutch Wars proved to be a significant cause of the Dutch decline. According to the map, “The Dutch Republic and Rival States in the Late-Seventeenth Century”, there had been thirteen naval battles between the English and the Dutch (Doc 1).
Is 5 foot 3 short for a woman? ›
Based on the most recent available data, the average height of an American woman is slightly less than 5 feet 4 inches tall. The average heights of women worldwide range from just under 5 feet tall to around 5 feet 7 inches. Female height (and height in general) is primarily influenced by genetics.
What is the tallest race in the world? ›
Dutch people are the world's tallest, with an average height of 175.62 cm (5 feet 7.96 inches). Dutch men are an average 182.53 cm (5 feet 11.86 inches) tall while Dutch women are an average 168.72 cm (5 feet 6.42 inches) tall.
Is 5'2" short for a girl? ›
The average is 5'4 for a woman, by the way. 5′2 gets kind of to the shorter side but it's not too short. It's not a bad height. The average height in USA is 5′4 but 5′2 is average in some places.
Traditional Dutch food is meat and potato or fish based for dinner and bread and cheese based for everything else. Beef stew and stamppot are two of the more common, hearty Dutch meals. Raw herring and other North Sea fishes are commonly consumed as well.
What is the Dutch diet? ›
Essentially, you should be loading up on vegetables, fruit, dairy, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and unsaturated fats—and limiting saturated fats, red and processed meat, sugar-containing beverages, alcohol, and salt, Croll says.
What are Dutch guys like? ›
The Dutch are renowned for being straightforward, straight-talking, and down-to-earth, and this transcends to the world of dating. For instance, they may prefer to enjoy a cold pint and a Dutch snack at a cozy (gezellig) café or bar rather than dine at a fancy restaurant.
Is 5ft 11 tall for a man? ›
Being 5'11" (approximately 180 cm) is above the average height for males in many parts of the world.
Is 5'7" short for a guy? ›
Is 5'7″ average height for a man? If you're looking at global statistics, the answer is yes. The average height for a man worldwide is 5 feet 7.5 inches. The average height for a man in the United States is 5 feet 9 inches.
Is 5'8" short for a guy? ›
No, 5'8” is about average for men.
There have been a lot of studies on this. The average height for adult men is actually 69 inches (180 cm), which translates to 5'9”. So, at 5'8”, you're taller than about 90% of women and about 45% of men. In other words, you're like most guys.
What led to the Dutch decline? ›
It was exhausted by its long land wars, its fleet was in a state of neglect, and its colonial empire stagnated and was eclipsed by that of England. In 1795 the republic collapsed under the impact of a Dutch democratic revolution and invading French armies.
What is the average height of a Dutch man? ›
Studies show that the average height for Dutch men is 1.86 cm (over 6′) whereas an average American is 1.76 cm (5'9”). So why are the Dutch so tall, you ask? Well, here are four possible answers to why the Dutch are so vertically blessed.
What is the tallest tribe in the world? ›
Dinka are noted for their height, and, along with the Tutsi of Rwanda, they are the tallest group in Africa. Roberts and Bainbridge reported an average height of 182.6 cm (5 ft 11.9 in) in a sample of 52 Dinka Agaar and 181.3 cm (5 ft 11.4 in) in 227 Dinka Ruweng measured in 1953–1954.
