Belgian men are second tallest in the world

Belgian men are the second tallest in the world, after the Dutch, and have grown by 15cm over the past century.

The average Belgian male is 1.82m tall - a centimetre shorter than men from the Netherlands. This is an increase from an average 1.67m 100 years ago. The world's shortest men can be found in East Timor (1.6m).

Belgian women have gained 10cm in a century, with an average height today of 1.56m, placing them 21st in the world height order. The tallest women in the world are Latvians, at 1.70m.

"Quality of life, medicine and hygiene have all improved," said Albert Beckers, head of endocrinology at Liège CHU university hospital. "The risk factors have also diminished. Working at the bottom of a mine at 12 years old wasn't good for people's growth."

Americans have only gained 5cm in height over the past century, according to the study, published in the journal eLife, which has tracked growth trends in 187 countries since 1914.

The research goes on to claim that taller people live longer, generally have a better education and earn more.