If you walk through the streets of Amsterdam or Rotterdam, you might feel like you've shrunk. The Netherlands is officially the tallest nation on Earth, with the average man standing at 183.8 cm (6 ft 0.4 in). But it wasn't always this way.
In the mid-19th century, the Dutch were actually among the shortest people in Europe. So, what happened in the last 150 years? Scientists point to a unique combination of natural selection, diet, and wealth.
1. The "Dairy" Factor
One of the most cited reasons is the Dutch obsession with dairy. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are staples of the Dutch diet.
Calcium and proteins are the building blocks of bone growth. Dutch children consume large amounts of dairy during their developmental years. While genetics load the gun, nutrition pulls the trigger. Without the right fuel, the body simply cannot reach its maximum potential height.
2. Natural Selection at Work
A study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found something fascinating: in the Netherlands, tall men have more children.
In many other countries, average-height men tend to have the most reproductive success. In the Netherlands, tall men were found to have more surviving children on average than shorter men. Over several generations, this slight evolutionary advantage has pushed the average height upwards.
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3. Equality and Healthcare
Height is often a proxy for the overall well-being of a society. The Netherlands has one of the world's best healthcare systems and lowest rates of income inequality.
When the gap between rich and poor is small, the entire population has access to high-quality food and medical care. This means fewer children suffer from growth-stunting illnesses or malnutrition.
Will they keep growing?
Interestingly, recent data from 2024 and 2025 suggests that the growth has stopped. For the first time in decades, the average height of Dutch teenagers is slightly decreasing.
This could be due to changes in diet (less dairy, more plant-based) or migration patterns. However, the Netherlands remains the undisputed giant of the world for now.
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