Dutch.......tallest Nation

[o0ceania]

when they say it's due to milk, what is so different about Dutch milk compared to ours? We have hormones in ours, so shouldn't that make us bigger?

Americans consume a ton of protein too, and it doesn't make us any taller. We consume so much that the FDA doesn't require food manufacturers to list a recommended daily serving of protein on their nutrition label because the FDA believes we already eat too much protein!

I think the Dutch eat more variety and have better health care, and drink less soda and other sugary foods that harm the bones. All the sugar we eat and phosphoric rich things like soda and red meat harm calcium, from what i've studied.

There are so many things that can impact height, more than just genetic makeup and food, it seems. What do you think impacts it?

What Asian country has the tallest people? Is it Japan?

 

[Eurasian Mélange]

My husband is Dutch and around 6'4"/193cm. He drinks milk every day. Then again, I had milk every day in my breakfast and I am only 5'2" and a bit/158cm.

I have noticed that here in North America, sugar seems to be in everything. Sugar in supposedly low-fat crackers, sugar in bacon, sugar in bread...

 

[DandyWarhol]

yeah.. scandinavians are tall =]
*very proud of swedish*

 

[gius]

maybe it's not the milk..
can't expect health to be just from diet
maybe they walk more, so their bones grow etc; and is that the place where they say ppl use a lot of bicycles... (or maybe that is Copenhagen)

i hear the same is for Japan
whenever the Japanese students come here
the guys are soooo tall...

 

[carioca]

when they say it's due to milk, what is so different about Dutch milk compared to ours? We have hormones in ours, so shouldn't that make us bigger?

contrary to popular belief, american milk (i'm assuming you're from there because you said your milk has a lot of hormones) doesn't strengthen bones, in fact it causes osteoporosis which makes bones weaker and more prone to fracture. i saw it on a documentary, i can't recall the name.

but i think it has something to do with food in the euro nations. they get better quality i suppose, less hormones, etc. i'm not a doctor, but i just came in the thread because i saw this in TIMES as well and found it interesting

 

[Eurasian Mélange]

maybe it's not the milk..
can't expect health to be just from diet
maybe they walk more, so their bones grow etc; and is that the place where they say ppl use a lot of bicycles... (or maybe that is Copenhagen)

I agree with you that it probably is not only to do with diet, though I also walked a lot and came from a city that is famous for having millions of people using bicycles and, as I said, I'm only 5'2"/158cm. Then again, both my parents are fairly short, whereas my husband has a tall father and an average-sized mother.

carioca - That's scary! Do you remember why it causes osteoporosis?

 

[MulletProof]

Wow, that woman is huge!

Last time I posted in thi thread I was 187 cm and now I am 190 cm....I hope I stop growing now, or else I wouldn't be able to fit into rollercoasters anymore

...how tall are you now, dale?. 3 years have passed since your post.

 

[gius]

^i've read it has to do with the stuff they put in it (preservative, etc), the stuff they feed to the cows, and also because they pasteurize it... they heat it and it kills all the 'good' bacteria
raw milk is supposed to be so good for you on the other hand, even better for those who have allergies... but it's illegal in many places

My family is short too
I'm the youngest son, but I am the tallest
So they always say I'm really tall, but I tell them that at school I am the shortest

 

[fashionista-ta]

Anyway, these countries with their growth spurts are countries where the diet has changed; a lot more protein is eaten compared to 50 years ago. Not only more milk products, like Bruintjes suggested. We also eat a lot more meat.

Just wanted to observe that I grew up in a Dutch immigrant community in the US, and the Dutch folks were quite tall. It would be interesting to look at how the height of the Dutch diaspora has changed during the same timeframe ... that could help isolate genes vs environment.

 

[kanita]

I live in Holland

I'm 186 cm.

But I'm not Dutch.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ ... that you know of

 

[carioca]

carioca - That's scary! Do you remember why it causes osteoporosis?

i don't remember why exactly but i think it has to do with the stuff they give to the cows. they give them antibiotics and it sometimes makes the cows' utters swell up and puss up, so when they milk the cows some of the puss in the utters fall into the milk. also the antibiotics are in the milk itself. it's really gross.

 

[misssakura]

Most of my friends in England are over 6 ft (male friends).

Over here (New Zealand) I find most of the guys are really short.

 

[Eurasian Mélange]

i don't remember why exactly but i think it has to do with the stuff they give to the cows. they give them antibiotics and it sometimes makes the cows' utters swell up and puss up, so when they milk the cows some of the puss in the utters fall into the milk. also the antibiotics are in the milk itself. it's really gross.

Eww! That is disgusting!

misssakura - Any specific area in England they are from? I've never seen a lot of guys there over 6 ft, but there were quite a few around that height. The last time I read up on it, the average height for a British male was 5'11".

 

[Fewormany]

Well, i'm Dutch and 193 cm, so definatly tall. But i have some friends who are even taller . I don't know what it is, my dad is only 173 cm. But i have my mothers genes she's tall too so. (for some reason i'm still growing little bits it seams )

 

[bismarck]

I remember reading somewhere that the Dutch eat more vegetables than the average American also, so maybe that contributes to the Dutch height? It makes sense, that if you nurture your body and give it everything it needs (ahem, nutrition. Plus other things of course) it will fulfill its genetic potential.

I think there was a New Yorker article about global height. I wonder if I saved it; now I'm really interested again.

 

[Witchbaby]

It seems rather strange to me that they would talk about the height of the 'average American' because- uh well. . .America is a nation of immigrants. No wonder our average is somewhat in the middle because we have all kinds of people living here.

Unless they just meant the average white American. . .in which case they should have just said that.

 

[mesmeri]

I'm going to Holland soon to live for half a year, a little intimidated by this stereotype as I am only 5"4'...

Forget the heels, looks like I might have to invest in some designer STILTS!

 

[DandyWarhol]

i think in general most scandinavian countries are very healthy, possibly healthier then other places.
because there is a lot of fresh produce and vegetables and fish.
and if you live in the country, there are often farms somewhere , and if you cant get fresh milk from there a lot of stores get milks from local farms.
the air is good too.
in the city you can walk most places, and even in the country you can walk, ride bikes, whatever.
almost everyone i know has a bike.

 

[Mr-Dale]

...how tall are you now, dale?. 3 years have passed since your post.

197






Something that also makes us a really tall people is that ever since the 17th century - which the Dutch call the Golden Age - we have been one of the, and from time to time THE, wealthiest country in the world. Because of that, health insurance, hygiene and good food became afforable for everyone a lot sooner here than anywhere else in the world. Health insurance is even obliged here by law and everyone has one. Great wealth makes you shoot up like weed (isn't that a nice Amsterdam-reference )