Lower-Body Classification and a Sizing System for Middle-Aged Women with Abdominal Obesity

This study aimed to analyze the lower-body characteristics of middle-aged women aged 40~50 years with abdominal obesity and propose a sizing system for bottom garments suited to this demographic. Data were gathered from the 8th Size Korea anthropometric survey, selecting 268 women with a waist circumference of 85 cm or greater for analysis. Lower-body measurements of this abdominal obesity group were compared to those of women with normal waist circumferences. Factor and cluster analyses were conducted to classify lower-body types. The results indicated that abdominally obese middle-aged women had significantly larger lower-body dimensions, particularly in horizontal measurements compared to vertical ones. Two lower-body types were identified based on the extracted factors: Type 1, which features a relatively long lower body with trunk-centered obesity (56.3%), and Type 2, characterized by a short and wide lower body with pronounced horizontal obesity (43.7%). Type 1 was more prevalent among women in their 50s, while Type 2 was more common among those in their 40s. Based on the mean waist circumference (91 cm) and hip circumference (100 cm), a sizing system with 6 cm intervals was proposed. This new sizing system achieved cover ratios of 92.7% for Type 1 and 86.3% for Type 2, demonstrating improved coverage compared to the existing KS K 0051 sizing system. These findings highlight the variability of lower-body characteristics and size distribution within the abdominal obesity group, emphasizing the need for body type- and age-specific sizing systems to enhance garment fit and consumer satisfaction.