|
sm says on 18/Nov/09
Jitr,
you are correct about height in USA decreasing, especially for women. If the average height of women is 5'4" (as claimed), then you should be seeing roughly equal amounts of 5'7" and 5'1" women. Height follows a normal distribution curve, and these two heights are equally as far from the "median" 5'4". The same would go for the heights of 5'10" and 4'10" (you should be seeing equal amounts, roughly, of these two heights). However, I will be the first to tell you that this is not the case, not even close. MANY women seem to be around 5' or below, whereas I have probably met only 1 woman who was 5'10", in my whole life. 5'7" is not common at all, either, except for maybe men. Also, 5'4" and below is considered a petite pant size. This was probably relegated in the 1960s or 70s and has carried on until today. However, women must have been taller then, because 5'4" and below is pobably 75% of women these days, based on what I have been seeing. So what was once petite is now 75% of women today. I think they need to redo that study on height, because average is CERTAINLY not 5'4" any more. Its cool that someone else has finally noticed this.
AleT says on 9/Nov/09
Someone had commented about roman legionnaires findign out just how tall the dutch were. FYI to be Picked as a Legionaaire (Legio derives from the verb "Legere" which means "to pick"...so the roman soldiers were picked men)a man had to be at least 172 cm tall (5'8") which was quite tall for those times. To be a member of the praetorian guard a soldier had to be 182 cms (almost 6 foot)...so a roman soldier was not short at all, on the contrary it was a formidable fighting man who possessed great physical strength and endurance. This is why two legions (10,000 men) made up a typical full roman army and often took on forces 10 times as numerous...and managed to crush them. For Example at the "Battle of Watling Street" queen Boudica and 100,000 britons were annihilated by only 2 legions (10,000 men) and the same happened at Mons Graupius (scotland) where one legion (5,000 men) massacred 80,000 Caledonians (the Scots of the time). what made that possible is that the roman soldiers were all "picked" individuals specifically selected for their physical prowess, while the Britons and caledonians were simply all the warriors in the tribe...... AleT says on 9/Nov/09
One more thing: the main advantage of preparing food at home is that you know EXACTLY what you are eating...
One of the posts below states that the "Dutch are the tallest nation, and the yanks are second". This is incorrect. Montenegro is the Tallest nation and the Dutch are second. Then we have Norway, Sweden and Denmark, Germany and then the Yanks...which these days are within 1 or 2 cms of most other european countries....give or take AleT says on 9/Nov/09
I have to disagree with some of the posts below about the stature of canadians.
According to my sources the average height of Canadian men is 174 cms, for USA it is 176 cms and for UK it is also 176 cms. these are the official statistics for those countries
Click Here AleT says on 9/Nov/09
here is the reference detailing the stature of Italian men. these are data from 1980. The measurements of stature were taken from 18 year olds (not 17 yo as I had said below....my mistake! sorry!).
Click Here Jitr says on 19/Oct/09
Man From India. The young gen growing taller is due to something called the "Cultural Trend" As countries developed better health systems due to advancement in the 50's and 60's (or before) new generations in advanced countries grew taller. This lasted 2-3 generations. Now the cultural trend has stopped in some countries, because health care/food quality has not seen any major leaps in those countries. In some countries the cultural trend started about 30-35 years back. I am 5'10 and I am satisfied with my height coz I am above average but there are quite a few of my height and quite a few men above my height. Women are not extremely tall here and it is not very common to see a women of my height around but it happens a couple of times a month :). In the U.S.A height seems to be decreasing due to excess junk food. AleT says on 14/Aug/09
The Italian official statistics (ISTAT) are very accurate, because every italian male has to go to a health visit at the local military district when 17 years old. So the statistics are based on these data, but remember they are for 17 year old males. So if anything the height is understade because men will still grow after the age of 17. Complete cessation of growth actually occurs at 23-24 years of age, but most of the growth has already occurred by 20 years of age. So I would add 1.5 to 2 cm to the official statistics to get the "true" height of italian males. For 2006 Istat says that Italians (17 yo of course) were 174.49 cms. This I believe to be accurate and based on the actual measurements of ALL ITALIAN 17 yo MALES (Do other countries do such a thorough assessment? I doubt it!). This would make the "true" stature of a 23-24 year old italian man about 176.5 cms. However stature varies by region. The Northeast of Italy (Venetia and Friuly) has the tallest guys (must be at least 179 cms) and the southern part of the country has the shortest (I believe Sardinia's guys are about 172 cms on average). The statistics show however that Italian males were 167 cms in 1947 (so the older population is shorter), reached 172 in the 1980s....and that the average height of males is increasing about 1 cm every ten years....and this process is still going on. It is modern italian food and refrigeration that are clearly responsible. I have lived in the US since 1992 (New York, Florida, California and Now Chicago). I am 175 cms (5'9") and two months ago I went to Italy (Lombardy). I felt short amongst the younger italian generation. In Chicago I believe I am above the average for white americans. In California I am a little shorter than white americans there. If we consider Americans as all the ethnic groups including asians and mexicans....then I am way taller than the average anywhere in America. Christer says on 11/Aug/09
I have been to Padova in Northern Italy, and was almost shocked to see how tall the young generation of Italians were. I am Swedish, and 1.85. Before going to Italy, I had expected to be taller than almost every Italian. I have always heard that Southern Europeans are small and that Scandinavians are very tall. But then I came to Padova. And what was my experience? I found that one out of two in the younger generation (18-25) was TALLER than me, despite of my good height of 185!!! Almost every young man was more than 1,80 tall, and several times in bars I was sourrounded by people taller than me, so that I even felt a little short. Especially the very young, (16-18 years old), tended to be very tall, in fact I think that even more than 50% of them were able to look down at me. I always thought that Scandinavians were much taller than Italians, but this does not seem to be true anymore! In Stockholm, the normal height for a young man would be between 175and 190, and I'mable to look down on two thirds or so, but in Padova it seemed to be more like 180-195,so that I often felt to be a little on the under-average-side. Once I went to a bar, and we were drinking beer at the pavement, so that everyone was standing, I even experienced to be one of the smallest of approax. 20 people there! I think half of them were like 190 tall! For me it was extremely surprising to feel small in comparison with young Italians. When I told the Italians I met that young Swedes are like 180, they didn't believe me, they thought that I was a "small" Swede. But I'm not! I'm tallerthan most young people back in Sweden. To feel small in Italy, sourrounded by guys 5-10 cm taller than me despite of my 185 was quite some surprise! Shikoku says on 18/May/09
finally some recognition for the Groningers Rusty says on 29/Mar/09
I always thought this guy would be a solid 6'2". Arcuato says on 7/Jan/09
Hello guys. I'm 187cm (~6'2") and I can say about my self experience that in netherlands the people are the tallest that I ever saw (I live here long time), first groningen and after that amsterdam. I have been also in belgrade in the last september (no tourist there) and they are not far from dutch, but a "little" less.I travel also to Split but there was impossible to compare because there was many many tourist, but in my opinion in Split they are smaller than in Belgrade. I will go the next summer to croatia again and in this time I will travel to montenegro, but sinceraly I think that they will be equal that in Belgrade (a little bit smaller than in amsterdam). In conclusion: Groningen >= Amsterdam >= Belgrade >= Split (with tourists), and of course that I'm tall (but in the good way) in all the places. What do you think friends? That I have the true and in montenegro the people would be like Belgrade or finally in montenegro live the tallest people (for me now it's in Groningen)? Senna says on 13/Dec/08
I'm 100% dutch and a proud 5'7 girl. And honestly, most of the time I feel tall compared to other girls here. I really don't think that 5'9 is the average height for females in the Netherlands. It is too tall. Most of my female friends are 5'6. Just wanted to let you know:P Jeroen is fantastic by the way! Jürgen says on 30/Nov/08
I am German, and I used to study in Bologna for one year. I was surprised how tall young Italians are. Among the students, most males were more than 185 cm. I know, because I am 185 myself. A lot were like 190. gfab says on 22/Oct/08
Hi Herve, a question on French people. I was some time ago in the south coast of France. People seemed to me rather short. During another trip (near the border with Germany, but don't remember much more) people seemed to me tall enough. How is the distribution of height in France? I guess there are great differences according to which area you consider, as well as in Italy. Thank you. Herve says on 12/Oct/08
I am the French man who made statistics about tall people from the Dinaric Alps (Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro). My studies are not yet over, but I think that the tallest people in Europe are the Serbs from Trebinje (Herze-govina) and the Montenegrins from Niksic, indeed inhabitants of what was old Montenegro in the past year (the average for young men is 186 cm). Then come the Croats from middle Dalmatia (Split) with 185 cm on average. The question now is to know if the official height of Dutch (184 cm or 185 cm) was taken on students or not. In the first case, it's prooved that the average is taller than among non-students. For sure, if you measure young students from Split, the average will not be 185 cm any more, but 186 or even more. Also if the Dutch's average was got in the north of Netherlands, it is necessarily higher. By the way, the people from eastern north of Italy (Fiume) are descendants of Slav people, which explains they are much taller than in the other parts of Italy. Let me tell you too that French people are also taller and taller (177 - 178 cm today among the youngs). gfab says on 9/Sep/08
Lmeister, it's not possible to apply the average italian height to every area of Italy. Tallest italians are in the north-east, and they are of scandinavian height (about 180cm average that is about 5'11). Shortest ones are in Sardinia (about 172 average). No surprise if Cox met a lot of 6' feet guys in Pisa or taller. Anyway in Toscana (the area of Pisa) the average height, as far as I know, is not 6', that's sure. Lmeister says on 29/Aug/08
What are you smoking Cox??? Young Nortern Italian guys are taller, but the average height for the whole Italy is still a bit below 5ft9... Cox says on 28/Aug/08
Italian average is 1.72? Lol maybe in 1800, they're around 6' I saw that cause I spent 1 year there in Pisa :) annonymous says on 6/May/08
In Balkan states you would still be tall, but not a giant, because there are so many people who are your height or taller. Even in Split you would be considered tall, just a little over younger generation average. My guess is that average among yougsters in Split is about 184cm. Arcuato says on 5/May/08
Hello friends. a concret question... I'm 1,87 cm. (6'2"), if I go to "groningen" or "split" I would be in the average height or slightly tall among all the people (not in a reduced group) ?¿? Because I was living in amsterdam and of course that I was tall, more or less whit a good height but in portugal (my country) I'm like a giant. Thanks for all ;) annonymous says on 3/May/08
Hello friends, I have a concret question... whit a 1.87 cm (6' 2") would I be in the average height in "Groningen" or in "Split" in your opinion ?¿? Because I was living for 4 years in amsterdam and I was tall of course, but more or less a good height, and in portuguese I was always actually tall (not a good height), like in madrid. For your information (around all the people, not a reduced group): Amsterdam > Berlin ~ Praha > Budapest > Antwerpen > London >~ Paris > Lisboa = Madrid Shikoku says on 1/May/08
That's not so strange the guys in the south of the netherlands are 2 inches shorter then in the north. annonymous says on 1/May/08
Montenegro has the tallest height average of all former Yugoslavian states. Bosnia-Herzegovina is probably second tallest. Serbia and Croatia are about the same. The difference between these four countries from the tallest to shortest is less than an inch. gfab says on 1/May/08
Shikoku, Croatia is small, but the long and thin coast go southwards 400km. And of course Dalmatians in the south are different from Slavonics in the north (Croatian friends, if any, please confirm) and from other races which live in local zones. What you say prove that I'm wrong as regards Holland: even there there is no uniformity. I have to change my conclusion, coming to somewhat stronger than before: we are ALWAYS forced to reason on rather small areas, even with small countries. As to Croatia, I have a further update, since I returned yesterday from Zagreb: there people are taller than in the north coast, but shorter than in Dalmatia (south coast). Croatia is really a puzzle, as concerns human height. Greetings. Shikoku says on 27/Apr/08
that could be close to the truth because they average male from greece is 176.5 wich is close to 5'10 but that still is shorter then the usa who average on 5'10.5 ;) Matt says on 26/Mar/08
Hi David...about statistics on height and Italian population. Well, David, to be honest Italian young people especially in Central-Northern Italy are often six footers and people like me (5.8) are somehow dwarvish. You should come to Rome and see it yourself
Regards Jasper says on 21/Mar/08
I didn't notice that Jeroen Krabbe was so small, for dutch meanings he is. The avarage height in Holland (for a men) is about 6' - 6'1", I'm about 6'3" but i'm only 14 years old...the doctor said i'd be 7' at max....but expected is 6'9" deepak says on 12/Sep/07
I think height is most important thing in building a personality.The average height of Indian women is much less than Uropian ones. guy says on 27/Jun/07
I'm from Canada and there are a lot of short people but it seems more tall people. I guess they balance each other out so that 5-10 or whatever the average is supposed to be probably isn't the most frequent height. I'm about 6-1 and am not necessarily that tall especially if I go to a bar where there are lots of young people. The younger kids all mostly seem to be at or over 6-00 or that is the perceived norm. The frequency of guys 6-3 and over just seems too unrealistic for what the average height is supposed to be here, but it's right in front of me. Mind you this is Vancouver and it was noticeable compared to a more average East. Flying Dutchie says on 20/May/07
Lol!!! jeroen krabbé is 1.84 :P not that it is a big deal, but ive seen him for real, im 1.80 and hes really a good 4 centimetres taller than me, dont just take heights of someone in a film!.....i dont have proof or something but i aint a liar too....because he is well build you underestemate his height.
He has a son named martijn krabbé he is really short i guess 1.70 but he isnt an actor so forget this:P just an extra comment!
Greetings From The Netherlands bikagyura says on 29/Apr/07
Is this a joke? He is AT LEAST an inch taller than Harrison Ford in The Fugitive... Either he is this or they have made a pretty awesome effort in making him taller through "the magic of film"! Jerry says on 25/Apr/07
Hi I am from India. I found all these comments quite interesting. I agree with most of them. Here in India for e.g the older generation is quite short but now the youngsters are growing rapidly. The Jat commmunity of northern india now has average of 5'10" for males. It has all to do with the quality of food. while i worked for an upscale car company, i used to notice that all the customers were around 5'11" or more which indicated they were from rich households and hence better food. This is a country where there is lots of poverty so we may unfortunately see a new class of people emerging, the rich and tall and the poor and short. Antony says on 15/Sep/06
I would say Canadians would have to be in the Top 3 tallest in the world. for example. i am 6'6. i have a crowd of friends of 10 people, and no one is under 5'10, and thats including the girls! and many other people i meet are maybe about the same. not all, but some. gfab says on 5/Jul/06
On David remark. I think statistics on italian average height could be right. In the north-west of Italy average height is about 178cm, and here in the north-east people are taller. I'm 183cm (6'0) and in the area Veneto/Trentino/Friuli one out of three (I'd say one out of two with young generation) is taller than me. It is quite easy in this area to find people above 190cm (6'3). So it's possible statistics is right, since north of Italy raises the average height. ferg says on 4/May/06
Don´t forget mention Montenegro , with 193 of average height. David Cali says on 24/Feb/06
I think often statistics can be wrong.I am from Italy and I live in California and I think people here are at least once inch taller on average than italians.Yet, according to statistics, the average height of italian men is 176cm(about 5'9 and half) and average height of US men is 5'9 1/2, which seems absurd, because everyone knows that italians are shorter. I think the statistic about italian height is pretty accurate, because I am 177cm (about 5'10) and I am about average for young people(but i can tower over old people). Yet most young men in California are taller than me, so I guess average height for american males 18/25 is between 5'11 and 6 ft. Mary says on 1/Jan/06
There it is-Gary Oldman is 5'9". So Jeroen is taller.It wasn't just the tophat. Mary says on 26/Dec/05
Wow- I never would have thought that people would get so excited about average height! That stat on Holland came from your very own Radio Netherlands International website! (what does Wereldomroep mean, by the way?)
What's all the crap about free hospitals in Canada? My province (Ontario) no longer pays for my physiotherapy for a troubled back. Medical care is NOT entirely free, and has seriously declined in the past 10 years. Waiting times are too long for surgery, and there is a dire shortage of doctors & nurses. Well, this has been fun, I'm writing from Canada, wherever you guys are. I would love to visit Holland- do those canals freeze in winter so that you can (ice) skate on them?
Mary says on 26/Dec/05
Of course Hollywood actors are chosen for their height/looks. Too bad most of them lack talent and culture, and are dead boring. This is why I've started watching European films. For Mr Krabbe & others, thank you & keep up the good work.Bye the way, I'm Canadian, female, and 166 cm (5'6" or so.) At home, only slighly above average height. While living in Japan and South Korea, I was considered tall. Asia's youngsters are towering over their granddaddies these days... Anyway, in regards to Mr Krabbe...5'11" - a respectable height. He paints, he cooks, he's cute... he's perfect! Kellie says on 8/Dec/05
:) You live in Utrecht? Wow the 1975 average was really high! (can you believe that's 30 years ago already..?)
Yeah older people are mostly shorter, that's why I find it so hard to believe the average is that high.. and 5'9'' is absolutely ridiculous ;).. Does that mean that in 30 years we're all midgets? minime says on 8/Dec/05
I have absolutely no idea, but there are a lot of people who'll go study somewhere else from where they live :) Groningen is a great city, though it's a bit too far from everything else for me. I like being in the center :p
I don't know about the 5'7", but earlier on they were saying numbers like 5'9" :) about 30 years ago the average was already 5'5"-5'6" so I suppose 5'7" isn't really that hard to believe. I don't know in what age range though! Because a lot of older people are smaller of course. Kellie says on 7/Dec/05
I know, isn't that weird? My little sister stood next to me yesterday and was like "Wow, you're short!" (she's 13 and my height already, the little minx).. It depends on where you live but I really never feel tall. Can't believe the average is 5'7'' though, are there that many tall people? Ah well, I give up ;).. Really don't have a clue on Jeroen.
(btw, what's there in Groningen that they don't have in Maastricht? I hear the theater programme is better in Limburg, but what's the north got to offer? Just being curious ;)) minime says on 6/Dec/05
Kellie, Rintje probably studies at the University of Groningen or HBO!
Anyway, I'm 18, 5'4" and Dutch (not a 100%, but born and raised here). I'm always surprised when in US tv shows (like on Gilmore Girls a couple of times) they call 5'7" tall! Here it's sometimes even considered small! Although the average does seem to have grown the past years...I thought it was about 5'7" for girls and 5'11" for guys a couple of years ago but apparantly that's wrong...well what do I know? :p Most people I know would say someone is tall when he rises above 6'3" or above 5'10" for a girl.
Aaanyway, about 5'11" to 6' seems alright for Jeroen :) Gretz says on 6/Dec/05
In The Netherlands and Belgium for Tall People.
www.langemensenforum.nl and www.langemensenforum.be Kellie says on 3/Dec/05
Wow, that's amazing!! Is that something from our generation (I'm 18)? Coz from what I've seen, men were NOT that tall a couple of decades ago..
(Btw, why on earth are you going to school in Groningen when you're from Maastricht?!) Rintje says on 2/Dec/05
Not all the Dutch are tall. In the south, people tend to be smaller than in the south. I'm 19, come from Maastricht, but study in Groningen. In Maastricht, my height of 1.85 is average, but here in Groningen it's without doubt under average. Here I should guess average height for the young men would be 1.90. In my class there are 12 boys, 10 out of them are are taller than me, though most are only around 5 cm taller. The tallest is 1.99, the second tallest 1.98, the third tallest 1,95 m. The smallest in class is 1,84, and he and I are the only ones under 1,90! People are not this tall in Maastricht. Kellie says on 15/Nov/05
Well I don't know about the average, but I was one of the taller people in my 'gang' in high school, and I'm about 5'6'', 5'6.5'' I think.. Probably an inch shorter back then. Now I was born and raised in the Netherlands, but have Irish roots (so lucky to have reached this height already :p). The guys seemed to have grown an incredible lot over the last years though, my eyes were sometimes really nipple-high the last year(s)! Wonder where they're hiding the 'average' height men, they all seem to be either 5'7'' or 6'4'' :S.. My guess: 'tsall about nutrition.
(btw:
"Lenore says on 22/May/05
Yeahh i'm dutch and im a female and im 1.77 so about 5ft10 and im never EVER feel tall when im outside walking or something.
Most dutch girls are about 1.73, could be less, could be more but that is a good average. And im so surprised about all these tiny woman in America.."
Do you live in Hoorn by any chance?! Coz I feel like a midget there, and that might be the accurate average over there, those people are GIANTS!! I agree with you on the tiny American actresses though, I mean like 95% of them are shorter than I am!) Living Shoe Lift says on 26/May/05
I live in Holland myself, I am a 181 cm male (still growing) and I feel kinda short. It seems as if all males tower over me, and the women being around my height. And by the way, it's no good comparing Dutch celeb's heights with those of Hollywood. Everyone knows that in Hollywood the actors are selected on their height, and in Holland this is not the case. Bill says on 23/May/05
Agreed, although the people of this region have always been very tall, something the ancient Romans found out when they invaded northern Europe, some people will have inherited these tall genes but most Dutch men are under 6-1. Mr.K says on 23/May/05
All these talk about an average height of 6'1" for the male population in Holland is pure crap. Holland has together with parts of former Yugoslavia and some parts of Africa the tallest population in the world. According to the European Union the average height for young Dutch males (15-25 years) is 182.3 which is close to 6'. But when you talk about average height you must of course include all male adults. I am a middle aged man at 186 cm and I'm definetely much taller then most Dutch men between 40-50 years of age. The correct average height in Holland all ages included is 179-180 cm for men or close to 5'11" Lenore says on 22/May/05
Yeahh i'm dutch and im a female and im 1.77 so about 5ft10 and im never EVER feel tall when im outside walking or something.
Most dutch girls are about 1.73, could be less, could be more but that is a good average. And im so surprised about all these tiny woman in America.. Smoke says on 19/Apr/05
Well the Netherlands, like almost every country has it's share of tall people, and the younger people in particular are considerably taller than their previous generations. However, this is the case throughout many developed countries in the world, therefore again, I don't see how Holland in particular, is exceptionally taller than everyone else. Jackie says on 19/Apr/05
Of course you are exaggerating with 7'3", but it is a fact that The Netherlands have many clubs for (extremely) tall people and about as many websites where the tall can find anything from clothes, cars, office chairs etc. It IS becoming a problem, for real.
http://www.klublangemensen.nl/
http://groups.msn.com/langekinderen/ MSN group of a 14 year old, 6ft girl!
http://www.langzijn.nl/
http://www.langemensen.nl/
http://www.scholtenswerkplek.nl/langemensen/ Issheuhboy says on 18/Apr/05
As in Canada, it's about health. Holland has the greatest natal care in the world, therefore a baby is not stopped from achieving its maximum height through any impediment caused by inadequate birthing facilities, and is free to grow to the average Dutch height of 7'3". Smoke says on 18/Apr/05
Jackie I think your theory on the food additives is a pretty accurate one, because here in Canada we are seeing young people get taller and taller, and it has to be something in the food. I am considerably taller than both of my parents, who were born and raised in Europe, and in general the average height of young people born or raised here is quite high, possibly approaching 6'0" already. So I imagine the averages will only continue to climb both in Holland, Canada, and many parts of the world, but I'm still unsure how Holland already gets those 6'1" and 5'9" average heights. In Canada I believe it's 5'11" for men, and about 5'5" for women. Jackie says on 18/Apr/05
My parents are first generation from Indonesia, they're old enough to be my grandparents aged early and late eighties. My mom in her prime was 5'3", my dad in his prime was 5'9". They're mixed. My paternal grandma was 5'7", taller than her full blooded Dutch husband! On average in my family the women are of all heights in all generations. We have, as I said tall women two generations before me, yet my smallest female cousin of the third generation is barely scraping 5 ft (born and raised in the US). Everybody born and raised in The Netherlands, however on the female side is up from 5'4", and all males in my family born and raised here are up from 5'11".
Now maybe my family was on the tall side for folks who have their roots/race in Indonesia.
It's the older generations of native Dutch that are indeed not as tall as, lets say, people of 40 and younger...... Smoke says on 17/Apr/05
So I take it then that this height average only takes into account the people who were born and raised in the Netherlands? Again, I noticed that many people in Holland were still shorter than me, and I'm supposed to be average height there. Again, people in many of the Dutch colonies (Indonesia) are some of the shortest people in the world, and it suprises me that the first generation people who come to Holland factor in, and still have Holland as being the tallest country in the world. Again, from my visit there, I didn't notice the people to be exceptionally tall at all, no different from here.
[Editor Rob: The German average male is now supposed to be 180cm] Jackie says on 17/Apr/05
I myself am the second generation of the old colonies and know that others of the 2nd generation who were born and raised in The Netherlands are much taller than the generation before them. Now, personally in my family I already have several tallish people, the tallest standing 6'1" (male) and 5'10" in the first generation who were still born and raised in the colonies. But still the 2nd generation is even taller than that on average.
Our theory is that it has to do with all the artificial additions in the food, perhaps even growth hormones. We know descendends from the colonies, 2nd generation, who both stand around 5'5", whose first generation parents stand around 5'2", yet the third generation absolutely towers over them from their teens on at 6'1" and 6'3"!!! and are still growing!
The average height for girls in our country is now 5'9" and for boys 6'1" which are heights they reach in puberty, say around the age of 16!
I'm 41, but the shortest boy in my class at the age of 16 was 5'11"!!! We're talking 1980 here. Smoke says on 16/Apr/05
The interesting thing about the Netherlands and height is that many people in the Dutch population either come from, or have roots in countries where people are traditionally not very tall. For instance many of the Dutch colonies in Asia, South America, Africa, and the Caribbean all have notoriously short average heights and yet here is Holland, the tallest country in the world. I'm not quite sure as to who exactly this national average in the Netherlands does take into account, and I myself have been to Holland and I didn't notice the people to be particularly taller on average than here in Canada. I'm 6'1" (185.5 cm) and I felt just as tall in Holland as I do in my own country, yet Canadian men are supposedly 2 inches shorter on average. I don't recall towering over anyone in Holland, yet I don't really tower over people here either. I'm really unsure of the means for finding this average height for the Dutchmen. Smoke says on 14/Apr/05
It's really interesting that America, even in comparison to Canada is that much shorter. I would say that some parts in the States have much higher averages than others, for instance the Midwest will have a considerably higher average say New York City. From what I heard, Holland has a 6'0"-6'1" average while America has a 177 cm average, and yes here in Canada it is 180 cm. I mentioned something about this on Mark Paul Gosselaar's listing. Issheuhboy says on 14/Apr/05
Not that this is nationheights.com, but America is actually quite down the list as far as national average male height (AMH) is concerned. In the UK, the AMH is 5'10, in Canada 5'11 (free hospitals etc.). America's AMH is 5'9.5. Holland's is 6'1, which, if you've been there, is slightly weird! Being 6'0, I'm used to being marginally taller than most people here in the UK, but there I felt eye to eye with most people.
[Editor Rob: yes, some countries are over-taking others. A few in Eastern Europe have a near 6ft average. Dutch have really been growing the last 30 years!] Mary says on 13/Apr/05
I thought he looked pretty tall compared to Gary Oldman in 'Immortal Beloved'.
Factoid: On average, the Dutch are the tallest nation - the Yanks are second. |
