Dutch people are among the tallest in the world. Indeed, a special club for tall people has been set up (www.klublangemensen.nl), which promotes the interests of tall people. Membership requires a length for men of at least 1.90m and for women of 1.80m. Why exactly is it that the Dutch are so tall? One thing is for sure, the question has not (yet) been honored with a ready-made answer.

A reason that is often mentioned is the high consumption of dairy products by the Dutch, in comparison with other countries, as well as the good prenatal and postnatal care and the healthcare system which is accessible to everybody. A study conducted by J.W. Drukker showed that the Dutch growth spurt dating back to 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.

People who have given some less serious reflection to the issue think that it has something to do with the fact that the Netherlands are flat: ‘They just look tall because Holland is so flat’. Or with the coffee shops: ‘If you visit them long enough, you will get ‘high’. (HB)