Female body shape - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Female body shape or figure is the cumulative product of a woman's skeletal structure and the quantity and distribution of muscle and fat on the body. There are, and have been, wide differences on what should be considered an ideal

Ideal (ethics)

An ideal is a principle or value that one actively pursues as a goal. Ideals are particularly important in ethics, as the order in which one places them tends to determine the degree to which one reveals them as real and sincere. It is the application, in ethics, of a universal...

or preferred body shape, both for attractiveness and for health reasons. These have varied among cultures simultaneously. As with most physical traits, there is a wide range of normality of female body shapes.

Human beings and their cultures have perennially focused attention on the female body as a source of aesthetic pleasure, sexual attraction

Sexual attraction

Sexual attractiveness or sex appeal refers to an individual's ability to attract the sexual or erotic interest of another person, and is a factor in sexual selection or mate choice. The attraction can be to the physical or other qualities or traits of a person, or to such qualities in the context...

, fertility

Fertility

Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...

, and reproduction.

The female body occurs in a range of shapes. The female figure is typically narrower at the waist

Waist

The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On proportionate people, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso....

than at the bust

Breast

The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...

and hips

Hip (anatomy)

In vertebrate anatomy, hip refer to either an anatomical region or a joint.The hip region is located lateral to the gluteal region , inferior to the iliac crest, and overlying the greater trochanter of the femur, or "thigh bone"...

, and usually has one of four basic shapes: banana

Banana

Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....

, pear

Pear

The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....

, apple

Apple

The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...

, or hourglass

Hourglass

An hourglass measures the passage of a few minutes or an hour of time. It has two connected vertical glass bulbs allowing a regulated trickle of material from the top to the bottom. Once the top bulb is empty, it can be inverted to begin timing again. The name hourglass comes from historically...

. The bust, waist, and hips are called inflection point

Inflection point

In differential calculus, an inflection point, point of inflection, or inflection is a point on a curve at which the curvature or concavity changes sign. The curve changes from being concave upwards to concave downwards , or vice versa...

s, and the ratios of their circumference

Circumference

The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....

s define these basic shapes. Usually, the bust area will depend on the person's weight and height.

Impact of estrogens

Estrogens have a significant impact on a female's body shape. They are produced in both men

Man

The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...

and women

Woman

A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...

, but their levels are significantly higher in women, especially in those of reproductive age. Besides other functions, estrogens promote the development of female secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts and hips. As a result of estrogens, during puberty

Puberty

Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...

, girls substantially develop breasts and their hips widen. However, the presence of testosterone in a pubescent female inhibits breast development and promotes muscle development; while estrogens act in the other direction.

Estrogen levels also raise significantly during pregnancy

Pregnancy

Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...

. A number of other changes typically occur during pregnancy, including enlargement and increased firmness of the breasts, mainly due to hypertrophy of the mammary gland in response to the hormone

Hormone

A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...

prolactin

Prolactin

Prolactin also known as luteotropic hormone is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PRL gene.Prolactin is a peptide hormone discovered by Henry Friesen...

. The size of the nipples may increase noticeably. These changes may continue during breastfeeding

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from female human breasts rather than from a baby bottle or other container. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk. It is recommended that mothers breastfeed for six months or...

. Breasts generally revert to approximately their previous size after pregnancy, although there may be some increased sagging.

Some breasts are high and rounded, dome- or cone-shaped, and protrude almost horizontally from a female's chest wall. Such "high" breasts are common for girls and women in early stages of development. Over time, the sag

Ptosis (breasts)

Ptosis of the breast refers to drooping or sagging of the breast. Breast ptosis is related to the laxity of the superficial fascia, suspensory ligaments and skin....

on breasts tends to increase due to their natural weight, the relaxation of support structures, and aging. Breasts sag if the ligaments

Cooper's ligaments

Cooper's ligaments are connective tissue in the breast that help maintain structural integrity.Transmission diffraction tomography can reveal the anatomy....

become elongated, a natural process that can occur over time and is also influenced by the breast bouncing during physical activity (see Sports bra

Sports bra

A sports bra is a bra that provides additional support to female breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement, alleviate discomfort, and reduce potential damage to chest ligaments. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain, and physical discomfort...

).

Breasts can decrease in size at menopause

Menopause

Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...

if estrogen levels decline.

Fat distribution

Estrogens can also affect the female body shape in a number of other ways, including increasing fat stores, accelerating metabolism

Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...

, reducing muscle

Muscle

Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...

mass, and increasing bone formation.

Estrogens cause higher levels of fat

Fat

Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...

to be stored in a female body. It also affects body fat

Fat

distribution, causing fat to be stored in the buttocks

Buttocks

The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...

, thighs, and hips

Hip (anatomy)

in women, but generally not around her waist, which will remain about the same size as it was before puberty. The hormones produced by the thyroid

Thyroid

The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage...

gland regulate the rate of metabolism

Basal metabolic rate

Basal Metabolic Rate , and the closely related resting metabolic rate , is the amount of daily energy expended by humans and other animals at rest. Rest is defined as existing in a neutrally temperate environment while in the post-absorptive state...

, controlling how quickly the body uses energy, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones. Body fat distribution may change from time to time, depending on food habits, activity levels and hormone levels.

When women reach menopause

Menopause

and the estrogen produced by ovaries declines, fat migrates from their buttocks, hips and thighs to their waists; later fat is stored at the abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

.

Body fat percentage recommendations are higher for females, as this may serve as an energy reserve for pregnancy

Pregnancy

. Males have less subcutaneous fat in their faces due to the effects of testosterone; testosterone also reduces fat by aiding fast metabolism

Metabolism

. The lack of estrogen in males generally results in less fat deposit around waist

Waist

The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On proportionate people, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso....

s and abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

s (producing an "apple shape").

Muscles

Testosterone

Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...

is an anabolic steroid

Anabolic steroid

Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...

which helps build and maintain muscle

Muscle

s with physical activity, such as exercise. The amount of testosterone produced varies from one individual to another, but on average, an adult female produces around one-tenth of the testosterone of an adult male, but females are more sensitive to the hormone. The muscles most likely to be affected are the pectoral muscles, biceps

Biceps

Biceps may refer to:*Biceps brachii muscle, a muscle located on the inside of the upper arm*Biceps femoris muscle, one of the hamstring muscles of the back of each thigh*Biceps , a point in a metrical pattern...

and triceps in the arms and quadriceps in the thighs.

On the other hand, estrogens reduce muscle mass. Muscle mass changes over time as a result of changes in testosterone and estrogen levels and exercise, besides other factors.

Measurements

The circumference

Circumference

The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....

s of a woman's bust, waist, and hips, and their ratios, are used to define her basic shape. These are sometimes described as banana, pear, apple, or hourglass shapes, though other shortcut terms are also used.

The bust is measured across the fullest part of a woman's breasts, generally across the crest of the breast

Breast

while wearing a properly-fitting brassiere; the waist is measured at the smallest circumference of the abdomen; and the hips are measured at the largest circumference of the hips and buttocks.
It is said that the female body usually inflects inward towards the waist around the middle of the abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

between the costal margin

Costal margin

The costal margin, sometimes referred to as the costal arch, is the medial margin formed by the false ribs and one true rib -- specifically, from the seventh rib to the tenth rib....

s and the pelvic crests. The waist is typically smaller than the bust and hips, unless there is a high proportion of body fat distributed around it. How much the bust or hips inflect inward, towards the waist, determines a woman's structural shape. The hourglass shape is considered by many cultures to be the ideal or usual female shape, though only about 8% of women have this shape.

Female shapes

Independent of fat percentage, weight or width, female body shapes are categorised into one of four elementary geometric shapes, though there are very wide ranges of actual sizes within each shape:

Apple (triangle downward): Apple shaped women have broad(er) shoulders compared to their (narrower) hips. Apple shaped women tend to have slim legs/thighs, while the abdomen and chest look out of proportion compared to the rest of the body. Fat is mainly distributed in the abdomen, chest, and face.

Banana or straight (rectangular): The waist measurement is less than 9 inches smaller than the hips or bust measurement. Body fat is distributed predominantly in the abdomen, buttocks, chest, and face. This overall fat distribution creates the typical ruler (straight) shape.

Pear or spoon or bell (triangle upward): The hip measurement is greater than the bust measurement. The distribution of fat varies, with fat tending to deposit first in the buttocks, hips, and thighs. As body fat percentage increases, an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist and upper abdomen. The women of this body type tend to have a (relatively) larger rear, robust thighs, and a small(er) bosom.

Hourglass shape. (triangles opposing, facing in): The hip and bust are almost of equal size with a narrow waist. Body fat distribution tends to be around both the upper body and lower body. This body type enlarges the arms, chest, hips, and rear before other parts, such as the waist and upper abdomen.

A study of the shapes of over 6,000 women, carried out by researchers at the North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...

circa 2005, found that 46% were banana (rectangular), just over 20% pear, just under 14% apple, and 8% hourglass. Another study has found "that the average woman's waistline had expanded by six inches since the 1950s" and that today's women are taller and have bigger busts and hips than those of the 1950s.

"Dimensions"

A woman's "dimensions" are often expressed by the circumference

Circumference

The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....

around the three inflection points. For example, "36-29-38" in imperial units would mean a 36" bust, 29" waist and 38" hips.

A woman's bust measure is a combination of her rib cage and breast size. For convenience, a woman's bra measurements

Brassiere measurements

Brassiere measurement refers to determining what size of bra a woman wears and mass producing bras that will fit most women....

are used. For example, though the measurements are not consistently applied, a woman with a bra size of 36B has a rib cage of 31-32 inches in circumference and a bust measure of 37-38 inches; a woman with a bra size 34C has a rib cage of 29-30 inches around, but the same bust measure of 37 inches. However, the woman with a 34C breast size will appear "bustier" because of the apparent difference in bust to ribcage ratio.

Height will also affect the appearance of the figure. A woman who is 36-24-36 at 5 in 2 in (1.57 m) height will look different from a woman who is 36-24-36 at 5 in 8 in (1.73 m) height. Since the taller woman's figure has greater distance between measuring points, she will likely appear thinner or less curvy than her shorter counterpart, again, even though they both have the same BWH ratio and the same weight. This is because the taller woman is actually thinner as expressed by her lower BMI, or body mass index

Body mass index

The body mass index , or Quetelet index, is a heuristic proxy for human body fat based on an individual's weight and height. BMI does not actually measure the percentage of body fat. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing...

, used to measure body weight in relation to height.

The use of BWH measurements for anything other than garment fitting is thus something of a shell game when applied to social body acceptance and evaluation. BWH is an indicator of fat distribution, not fat percentage.

The British Association of Model Agents (AMA) says that female models

Model (person)

A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....

should be around 34-24-34 in (86-60-86 cm) and at least 5 in 8 in (1.73 m) tall.

Changes to body shape

The aging process has an inevitable impact on a person's body shape. A woman's sex hormone levels will affect the fat distribution on her body. According to Dr. Devendra Singh, "Body shape is determined by the nature of body fat distribution that, in turn, is significantly correlated with women's sex hormone profile, risk for disease, and reproductive capability." Concentrations of estrogen

Estrogen

Estrogens , oestrogens , or œstrogens, are a group of compounds named for their importance in the estrous cycle of humans and other animals. They are the primary female sex hormones. Natural estrogens are steroid hormones, while some synthetic ones are non-steroidal...

will influence where body fat is stored.

Before puberty

Puberty

both males and females have a similar waist-hip ratio. At puberty, a girl's sex hormones, mainly estrogen

Estrogen

, will promote breast development and a wider pelvis tilted forward for child bearing, and until menopause a woman's estrogen levels will cause her body to store excess fat in the buttocks

Buttocks

, hips

HIPS

HIPS may refer to:* High impact polystyrene* Home Information Pack* Host-based intrusion-prevention system, a computer security system oriented towards workstations...

and thighs, but generally not around her waist, which will remain about the same size as it was before puberty. These factors result in women's waist-hip ratio (WHR) being lower than for males. During and after pregnancy

Pregnancy

, a woman experiences body shape changes. After menopause

Menopause

, with the reduced production of estrogen by the ovaries, there is a tendency for fat to redistribute from a female's buttocks, hips and thighs to her waist or abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

Social and health issues

Each society develops a general perception of what an ideal female body shape would be like. These ideals are generally reflected in the art and literature produced by or for a society, as well as in popular media such as films and magazines. The ideal or preferred female body size and shape has varied over time and continues to vary among culture

Culture

Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...

s; but a preference for a small waist has remained fairly constant throughout history. A high waist-hip ratio has often been seen as a sign of good health and reproductive potential.

A low waist-hip ratio has also often been regarded as an indicator of attractiveness of a woman, but recent research suggests that attractiveness is more correlated to body mass index than waist-hip ratio, contrary to previous belief. Historically, according to Devendra Singh, there was a trend for slightly larger women in the 17th and 18th centuries, as typified by the paintings of Rubens

Rubens

Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...

, but that in general there has been a preference for a slimmer waist in Western culture. He notes that "The finding that the writers describe a small waist as beautiful suggests instead that this body part - a known marker of health and fertility - is a core feature of feminine beauty that transcends ethnic differences and cultures."

New research suggests that apple-shaped women have the highest risk of developing heart disease, while hourglass-shaped women have the lowest. Diabetes professionals advise that a waist measurement for a woman of over 80 cm (31.5 in) increases the risk of heart disease, but that ethnic background also plays a factor. This is because body fat buildup around the waist (the apple shape) poses a higher health risk than a fat buildup at the hips (the pear shape).

Waist-hip ratio

Compared to males, females generally have relatively narrow waist

Waist

The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On proportionate people, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso....

s and large buttocks, and this along with wide hips make for a wider hip section and a lower waist-hip ratio.

Notwithstanding wide cultural differences, researchers have confirmed that the waist-hip ratio (WHR) for a female very strongly correlates to the perception of attractiveness across all cultures. Women with a 0.7 WHR (waist

Waist

The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On proportionate people, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso....

circumference that is 70% of the hip circumference) are rated more attractive by men in various cultures. Such diverse beauty icons as Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....

, Sophia Loren

Sophia Loren

Sophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...

, and the Venus de Milo

Venus de Milo

Aphrodite of Milos , better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created at some time between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is a marble sculpture, slightly...

all have ratios around 0.7. In other cultures, preferences vary, ranging from 0.6 in China, to 0.8 or 0.9 in parts of South America and Africa, and divergent preferences based on ethnicity, rather than nationality, have also been noted.

The WHR is also shown to have a very high correlation to female fertility, thereby unknowingly guiding men's evolutionary choices.

WHR has been found to be a more efficient predictor of mortality in older people than waist circumference or body mass index

Body mass index

(BMI).

Alteration of body shape

A woman's body shape is an aspect of her physical appearance, and impacts on her body image

Body image

Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. The phrase body image was first coined by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Paul Schilder in his masterpiece The Image and Appearance of the Human Body...

. Studies conclude that women are more worried about their body image than men and that their concern can impact on their health. Other studies have found that females tend to think more about their body shape and endorse thinner figures than men even into old age. Commentators note that people who have a low body image will try to alter their body in some way, such as by dieting, or undertaking cosmetic surgery.

Various strategies are sometimes employed to temporarily or permanently alter the shape of a body. The most common include dieting

Dieting

Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. Some athletes, however, follow a diet to gain weight...

and exercise.

At times artificial devices are used or surgery is employed. Breast size can be artificially increased or decreased. Falsies

Falsies

In fashion, falsies is a term used in American English to denote padding for use in a brassiere to create the appearance of larger breasts. The term is also, more rarely, used for pads which create the appearance of larger buttocks. In both cases, there is a note of amusement conveyed by the term...

, breast prostheses or padded bras

Brassiere

A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....

may be used to increase the apparent size of a woman's breast

Breast

s, while minimiser bras may be used to reduce the apparent size. Breasts can be surgically enlarged using breast implants or reduced by the systematic removal of parts of the breasts

Breast reduction

Reduction mammoplasty is the plastic surgery procedure for correcting over-sized breasts...

.

Historically, great efforts have been made to reduce a woman's waist line. The use of boned corsets, for example, was practiced for several centuries. The corset reached its climax during the Victorian era

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

. In twentieth century these corsets were mostly replaced with more flexible/comfortable foundation garment

Foundation garment

A foundation garment is an undergarment designed to temporarily alter the wearer's body shape, to achieve a more fashionable figure...

s. Where corsets are used for waist reduction, it may be temporary reduction by occasional use or permanent reduction by people who are often referred to as tightlacers

Tightlacing

Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture and experience the sensations of a very tight corset. Those who practice tightlacing are called tightlacers...

. Liposuction

Liposuction

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty , liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body...

and the new and improved method liposculpture are common surgical methods for reducing the waist line.

Padded control briefs or hip and buttock padding

Hip and buttock padding

Hip and buttock padding is used by some transgender people including transsexuals and cross-dressers. It is used to increase the apparent size of the hips and buttocks to resemble those of a female...

may be used to increase the apparent size of hips and buttocks. Buttock augmentation

Buttock augmentation

thumb|right|250px|Gluteoplasty: the pre-operative, back and oblique-right aspects , and the like post-operative aspects , of a combined procedure of buttocks augmentation and thigh contouring.Gluteoplasty thumb|right|250px|Gluteoplasty: the pre-operative, back and oblique-right aspects (left), and...

surgery may be used to increase the size of hips and buttocks to make them look more rounded.

Impact of estrogens

Fat distribution

Muscles

Measurements

Female shapes

"Dimensions"

Changes to body shape

Social and health issues

Waist-hip ratio

Alteration of body shape

See also