Giant Dutchmen!

The Associated Press informs us that the Dutch are now, on average, the tallest people in the world. the average height for men is over six feet, while woman stand at 5' 7".

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.

Prosperity propelled the collective growth spurt 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 pampers infants, the Dutch are standing taller than ever. The average Dutchman stands just over 6 feet, while women average nearly 5-foot-7.

Ask Pieter Gijselaar about the problems of the very tall.

At more than 6-feet-10 1/2, he spends a lot of time ducking through doorways and guarding against minor head injuries. In an economy-class airline seat, he only fits in the emergency exit row. He had to have the seat of his Volkswagen Golf specially fitted and blocks put under the legs to raise his office desk.

But Gijselaar, a 28-year-old real estate agent, says he has it easier than his father, who is 6-foot-5.

"Buying clothes and shoes is not a problem anymore. You can always find stores that sell large sizes," he said. "But it's not cheap. I don't get any discounts off the rack."

Though people tend to stare, Gijselaar says being head, shoulders and trunk above everyone else makes an impression. "People don't forget me. If you meet me a year from now, you'll remember who I am."

There are, of course, many advantages to being very tall. There are also many drawbacks if you are well outside the norm that most thing are designed for. Experts say that they foresee the Dutch getting even taller in the next 50 years or so. Which will bring great benefits to the world. Average people will be able to use Dutch wooden shoes as canoes! The mind boggles at the possibilities.