Comprehensive Analysis of Body Shapes in the Indian Female Population: A National and Regional Study

Abstract: India relies on anthropometric data sourced from foreign nations to develop products, resulting in a formidable challenge for Indian consumers in their quest for products tailored to their specific bodily attributes. The garment industry, in particular, grapples with this issue, where Indian consumers must often compromise on the fit of clothing due to the absence of comprehensive databases pertaining to Indian body shapes and sizes. Recent reports underscore the gravity of this situation, revealing that garment returns account for a substantial 20% to 40% of sales, a trend exacerbated by the burgeoning e-commerce sector.In response to this pressing need, a nationwide anthropometric survey was meticulously conducted, leveraging state-of-the-art 3D whole-body scanning technology. This extensive study encompassed a cohort of more than 13,000 female volunteers (total subjects scanned 13045 and valid subjects 12492), aged 15 to 70, meticulously selected to represent all states across India's six distinct geographic regions. Systematically, the data collected was subjected to clustering, resulting in the categorization of body shapes, both at the regional and national levels. This classification process was anchored in robust measurements of height and key girth dimensions, with a specific focus on Bust, waist, hip, and upper hip girths. This indigenous research unveiled the four most prevalent body shapes among Indian females: Hourglass, Rectangle, Trapezoid, and Bottom hourglass. Furthermore, a comprehensive regional analysis of body shapes was conducted, and it was found that while regional variations existed, the fundamental body shape clusters among Indian females remained consistent with the national clusters. The regions displayed the same four primary body shapes for females, with variations in the prevalence of these identified shapes. This groundbreaking study underscores the necessity of considering regional variations in product design and sizing to cater to the diverse Indian population accurately.

Keywords: Anthropometry, 3D body scanning, Sizing survey, Body shape and size, National and regional shape clustering.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004915

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