I remember with fondness my one brief visit to Holland. I recall being
amazed by how BIG everyone was, and happy at the enormous portion
sizes in the restaurants.

"C. ten Broeke" wrote:

> Could the hard work on rice-fields,  being in positions  on the
> rice-fields that the human body was never designed for is the cause of
> this discomfort.

Could be, I do not know. One friend speculated it could be due to the
exceptionally poor diet during and after the war years. Seems very
common though. Enough so that foreigners often comment (joke) on it.

> I ask because last week we had a documentary here on tv about people in
> Japan working up to very old age.  Not because they like it but because
> there is no national pension and they are just poor.

There are various national and local support schemes, but not much
compared to northern European standards. Thus the Japanese are known
as such great savers.


> Also coming from a country that homes the largest people on the planet
> (Holland) I can guarantee you that long boned and tall is not the same
> as healthy. Cows and milk are synonym for  Holland and we drink loads of
> milk here....
> We have a country full of young people conplaining about serious
> backproblems.  They  are just taller then is good for them.

Is that due to diet? I think it is more likely from a life spent in
front of the TV, in the car, and at a desk. Atrophied back and stomach
muscles mean no support for the back. Being big and heavy (diet) would
make it even worse. Simply being big and tall is not the problem. We
are all descended from people much bigger than we are today. Lack of
exercise in childhood makes bones weak and spindly, and creates poor
supporting musculature.

Tom