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Most of us are taller than our parents, who probably are taller than their parents. But in the Netherlands, the generational1 progression has reached new heights. In the last 150 years, the Dutch have become the tallest people on Earth---- and experts say they’re still getting bigger. It is a tale of a nation’s health and wealth.
Prosperity2 propelled the collective growth spurt3 that began in the mid-1800s and was only interrupted during the harsh years of the Nazi occupation in the 1940s---- when average heights actually declined. With their protein-rich diet and a national health service that pampers4 infants, the Dutch are standing taller than ever. The average Dutchman stands just over 6 feet, while women average nearly 5-foot-7.
“The Dutch were not noted for their height until recently. It was only in the 1950s that they passed the Americans, who stood tallest for most of the last 200 years,”said John Komlos, a leading expert on the subject who is professor of economic history at the University of Munich in Germany. He said the United States has now fallen behind Denmark. Many Dutch are much taller than average. So many, in fact, that four years ago the government adjusted building codes to raise the standards for door frames and ceilings. Doors must now be 7-feet, 6 1/2-inches high.
For years, the Dutch national air carrier had an agreement with the Tall People’s Club to give preference to club members for front seats with extra leg room. The airline scrapped the deal last year because of complaints5 of discrimination by more normal-sized people.
As lifestyles improve, the influx of immigrants from North Africa may slow the growth rate, but their descendants could catch up in a few generations.
But wealth doesn’t explain everything. Scandinavians, who are among the world’s tallest people at 6 feet, are not getting taller on average, apparently hitting their genetic glass ceiling.
With better food, Pygmies6 will increase in height, but you will never make Dutchmen out of them. It’s just not there in the genes. Since we are still on the move, we don’t know where it’s going to end. It’s upward, yes, but how far upward we don’t know.
我们之中的许多人都要高过父母，而我们的父母又大多都高于他们的上一辈。可是在荷兰，这种世代传承的身高增长得飞快。在过去的150年中，荷兰人成为地球上最高的人群，专家称，这一情况还在加剧，荷兰人的身高和体重成为了这个民族的神话。
自从19世纪中叶，经济繁荣和生活富裕极大地推动了人口素质的增长，在这期间，只因上世纪40年代的二战而有过中断，当时人们的平均身高普遍下降。由于膳食中富含维生素，以及国家从婴儿开始就普及的医疗服务制度，荷兰人的身高超过了以往，男性国民的平均身高达到了6英尺，女性则接近5.7英尺。
“荷兰人以身高闻名是最近才有的，直到20世纪50年代，他们的平均身高才超过美国人，而在此之前的200多年里，美国人的身高一直是居于世界第一位的。”德国慕尼黑大学经济历史学的学科带头人约翰·科姆罗斯说。他说，现在美国人的平均身高甚至落后于丹麦。荷兰有如此多的“高人”存在，以至于4年前，政府不得不调整房屋的建筑结构，调整门框以及天花板的高度。现在房门的高度被调整到了7.65英尺高。
近年来，荷兰国家航空公司与荷兰“高个子俱乐部”达成协议，在班机上为俱乐部成员提供前排位置，以便他们有更为广阔的腿部活动空间。去年航空公司又不得不终止了这项规定，因为普通身高的乘客抱怨这一举动是对他们的歧视。
人们的生活方式不断进步，目前由于部分来自北非移民的涌入，造成荷兰的人口身高增长逐渐放缓，不过这种减缓会在几代人之内得到消除。
当然，仅仅是富裕并不能说明一切。斯堪的那维亚人本身在世界上就属于高身高的民族，平均高度已经超过6英尺，不过这一高度没有更进一步增加，因为这似乎已到了他们的遗传基因所决定的高度。
只要吃得好了，即使是俾格米人也可以长得很高，不过就算再高他们也无法超越荷兰人，因为毕竟他们的基因中没有高个子的因素。虽然人们在不断增高，不过到底什么时候是个头仍然是个谜。我们在不断长高，但是到底能长多高，谁也不知道。
Prosperity2 propelled the collective growth spurt3 that began in the mid-1800s and was only interrupted during the harsh years of the Nazi occupation in the 1940s---- when average heights actually declined. With their protein-rich diet and a national health service that pampers4 infants, the Dutch are standing taller than ever. The average Dutchman stands just over 6 feet, while women average nearly 5-foot-7.
“The Dutch were not noted for their height until recently. It was only in the 1950s that they passed the Americans, who stood tallest for most of the last 200 years,”said John Komlos, a leading expert on the subject who is professor of economic history at the University of Munich in Germany. He said the United States has now fallen behind Denmark. Many Dutch are much taller than average. So many, in fact, that four years ago the government adjusted building codes to raise the standards for door frames and ceilings. Doors must now be 7-feet, 6 1/2-inches high.
For years, the Dutch national air carrier had an agreement with the Tall People’s Club to give preference to club members for front seats with extra leg room. The airline scrapped the deal last year because of complaints5 of discrimination by more normal-sized people.
As lifestyles improve, the influx of immigrants from North Africa may slow the growth rate, but their descendants could catch up in a few generations.
But wealth doesn’t explain everything. Scandinavians, who are among the world’s tallest people at 6 feet, are not getting taller on average, apparently hitting their genetic glass ceiling.
With better food, Pygmies6 will increase in height, but you will never make Dutchmen out of them. It’s just not there in the genes. Since we are still on the move, we don’t know where it’s going to end. It’s upward, yes, but how far upward we don’t know.
我们之中的许多人都要高过父母，而我们的父母又大多都高于他们的上一辈。可是在荷兰，这种世代传承的身高增长得飞快。在过去的150年中，荷兰人成为地球上最高的人群，专家称，这一情况还在加剧，荷兰人的身高和体重成为了这个民族的神话。
自从19世纪中叶，经济繁荣和生活富裕极大地推动了人口素质的增长，在这期间，只因上世纪40年代的二战而有过中断，当时人们的平均身高普遍下降。由于膳食中富含维生素，以及国家从婴儿开始就普及的医疗服务制度，荷兰人的身高超过了以往，男性国民的平均身高达到了6英尺，女性则接近5.7英尺。
“荷兰人以身高闻名是最近才有的，直到20世纪50年代，他们的平均身高才超过美国人，而在此之前的200多年里，美国人的身高一直是居于世界第一位的。”德国慕尼黑大学经济历史学的学科带头人约翰·科姆罗斯说。他说，现在美国人的平均身高甚至落后于丹麦。荷兰有如此多的“高人”存在，以至于4年前，政府不得不调整房屋的建筑结构，调整门框以及天花板的高度。现在房门的高度被调整到了7.65英尺高。
近年来，荷兰国家航空公司与荷兰“高个子俱乐部”达成协议，在班机上为俱乐部成员提供前排位置，以便他们有更为广阔的腿部活动空间。去年航空公司又不得不终止了这项规定，因为普通身高的乘客抱怨这一举动是对他们的歧视。
人们的生活方式不断进步，目前由于部分来自北非移民的涌入，造成荷兰的人口身高增长逐渐放缓，不过这种减缓会在几代人之内得到消除。
当然，仅仅是富裕并不能说明一切。斯堪的那维亚人本身在世界上就属于高身高的民族，平均高度已经超过6英尺，不过这一高度没有更进一步增加，因为这似乎已到了他们的遗传基因所决定的高度。
只要吃得好了，即使是俾格米人也可以长得很高，不过就算再高他们也无法超越荷兰人，因为毕竟他们的基因中没有高个子的因素。虽然人们在不断增高，不过到底什么时候是个头仍然是个谜。我们在不断长高，但是到底能长多高，谁也不知道。