The Dutch spent a century becoming the tallest population on Earth, then the run quietly ended. Men born in 1980 reached 183.9 centimetres; those born in 2001 measure 182.9. Women born in 2001 are 1.4 centimetres shorter than the 1980 cohort

The Netherlands became known for having the tallest population in the world after a remarkable rise in average stature over roughly a century. The shift took the Dutch from being among Europe’s shorter populations in the 19th century to the top of global height rankings.

That upward trend has now quietly reversed. Men born in 1980 reached an average height of 183.9 centimetres, while men born in 2001 measured 182.9 centimetres—one centimetre lower. Women born in 2001 were also 1.4 centimetres shorter than women from the 1980 cohort.

The change stands out because it follows generations of growth that had made Dutch height a prominent international example. The available findings describe the reversal as unexplained, leaving open why younger cohorts have not continued the gains seen throughout the previous century.