Author: Kristina Thompson,Björn Quanjer,The Conversation

Unraveling the history of a nation’s physical health can be challenging due to limited data. However, a recent study highlighted a striking correlation between a population’s health and a commonly recorded metric — body height. Over the past two centuries, global, particularly European, heights have seen a significant increase, with the Netherlands leading the way. Dutch men, who are currently the tallest globally, have shown a remarkable growth from 166 cm in 1810 to 184 cm today. While genetics plays a role in determining height, environmental factors such as improved living standards, reduced mortality rates, and better access to food…