What are the average body measurements?
The average body measurements describe the circumference of chest, waist and buttocks that people have on average. For women the measures 90cm – 60cm – 90cm are known, which are not reached on average. The average body measurements for women were 99cm – 85cm – 103cm in April 2009.
Also for men the average values are higher than the ideal values. The ideal body measurements for men are 100cm – 80cm – 100cm. In contrast, an average German man in April 2009 has the body measurements 106cm – 95cm – 103cm.
Overall, for both sexes the values for the chest, waist and buttocks circumference have increased. This speaks for an average increase in body weight. With overweight not only the body measurements increase, but also the general risk for various diseases.
These people are particularly at risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and also joint problems. A model in our Western European society must be tall and very slim overall. Accordingly, they fulfill the ideal measurements for chest, waist and buttocks.
Therefore models have a chest circumference of 90cm, a waist circumference of 60cm and an buttock circumference of 90cm. Since models are usually very tall (often about 1.80) and even undercut these ideal measurements for the different circumferences, they are too thin. However, this underweight of the models is tolerated from different sides and represents a false body image. A newer trend is the so-called fitness models, who focus on a trained, defined and rather muscular body. With this type of models the values for the different circumferences are often above the ideal measurements, although they are completely healthy and not overweight.
How are the perfect body measurements actually determined?
The perfect body measurements are increasingly determined by the media, which we encounter in various forms in everyday life. Nowadays, the media are an integral part of our lives and often also unconsciously influence our ideas. This includes the image of the perfect body and perfect body measurements.
The media usually show women who do not correspond to the average physique. Especially in the world of fashion there are more and more young women who are too light for their height and also fall below the so-called ideal measurements of 90cm – 60cm – 90cm. This distorted body image can be found in advertisements, magazines, posters, films and even in mannequins.
The dangerous thing about it is that these apparently perfect body measurements are presented as the norm and especially young women strive for this ideal. They completely ignore the fact that many models are much too thin for their size and suffer from underweight. Just like overweight, underweight also represents an increased risk for various diseases.
Often the methods to get this distorted body image are dangerous and against medical advice. Food intake is reduced to a minimum and, in contrast, excessive sport is practiced. All in all, especially young women should take a critical look at the body image that is conveyed and question it carefully.
An informative conversation with a doctor can also help here. This can give exact information whether one is within the normal range regarding body measurements, body weight and BMI. In general, a balanced diet, regular exercise and plenty of drinking are important.
