PifferPilfer

PifferPilfer

A Cheesy Theory, Debunked: Dutch Height Isn’t About Dairy

Davide Piffer's avatar
Davide Piffer
Aug 20, 2025
∙ Paid
5
3
1
Share

The internet loves the “Dutch = dairy = tallest people” story. Even the BBC once framed the Netherlands as “a nation of tall cheese-eaters,” musing about whether milk and cheese helped push the Dutch to the top of the height charts - while also noting other contenders like genetics, better medical care, and even sexual selection favoring taller men.

Dutch cheese | Discover Holland

I combined cohort-level height data with per-capita calorie/macronutrient supply (ages 0–18), then tested nutrition alone vs. nutrition + a country-mapped height polygenic score (PGS).

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Davide Piffer
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture