"Average clothes size 16"? Is it though?

[MrsWP]

Inspired by a comment saying the above on another thread.

It's something I've heard a lot.

But is it really true?

I say that because I'm a 16 and always feel fatter than anyone else in the majority of situations.

I’m trying to lose weight and am back at a 16 from about a 20. I’m happy to be going in the right direction (and happy to now be average!) but quite gutted I got that big in the first place.

Size 16 will be overweight for most people unless you’re well over 6 foot. I’m 5”11 and my BMI is in the obese category. Most women are shorter than me. I am big framed and large all over so it’s not overly noticeable that I’m overweight, but frankly I don’t feel great at this size.

I agree with whomever said 16 is the mean, not most common size. I’m seeing loads of women much slimmer than me, but also quite a few visibly very obese.

It’s the tape measure that doesn’t lie though isn’t it. There was a BBC survey a few years ago that you put your height, weight and age in to and it told you what percentage of people were slimmer or bigger.

It’s still a link that works www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43697948

5 foot 3 is average in America now and has fallen in the last 20 years due to poverty, poor nutrition and poor healthcare particularly maternal health in deprived communities. The UK average is 5foot5 for women.

It does depend on the demographic, unfortunately there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and obesity.

Also as it is a average, the number can be skewed by very high or very low figures. In this case, it is very very unusual to be smaller than a size 8 (4 sizes smaller than a 16), but there will be a reasonable number of people who are bigger than a size 24 (4 sizes bigger than an 16)

Just tried that link. It says if you are of Asian decent then your BMI needs to be under 23. Why is that?

@Icenii

Just tried that link. It says if you are of Asian decent then your BMI needs to be under 23. Why is that?

It literally tells you in the same sentence.

If you're of Asian descent you have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes at a lower BMI and waist circumference.

Only doing the school run at the moment and size 16 is definitely the average, lots of size 18s/20s and a few bigger. Just in an average area.

I would agree and say that after lockdown it will have probably gone up. Working long hours in sedentary jobs I think is a big part of it but I’m not sure how we go about changing it? Maybe more gyms/ time to exercise in big offices? I know I eat healthier when I workout.
I also think sizes need to be more consistent. I am a 14 in Superdry, 12 in next, 10 from Sainsbury’s and the other day bought a top from Tesco and even the 8 was too big!

It would be great to buy clothes by fit, rather than size, but now, when you can’t try anything on, you have to choose a size (or two) online and hope that you’ve chosen well. The size guides vary so much and don’t make a lot of sense.

@Vursayles not necessarily. I'm 5'8 and a size 16. I lift weights and don't have a huge amount of body fat. I've always been fairly solidly built and, after years of trying to be thin, just defined the body shape I've been given.

I’m the fattest out of my group of friends
I’m a 12, my friends are all size 6 or 8

However, a family member is an 18, and all her friends are between 14-20

So I guess an average of 16 in your own experience depends on who you happen to know

I used to be a designer for the high street.

Sizing: all retailers size according to their target market. So a 10 in Topshop (which has gone but l need it as an example!) will not be the same size as a10 in M and S.

All clothes are cut with ‘ease’ this is to account for different measurements/shapes within a size. Ease can be as much as up to 2 cm.

Cheaper shops have smaller sizing as it uses less fabric.

I think that sounds about right. I just had a quick look at the difference between Swedish men and women and UK men and women when it comes to height and weight. I have always though British people are heavier, and it seems it's true.

Swedish men on average are 180cm tall and weigh 84kg.
UK men on average are 175cm tall and weigh 83.6kg

Swedish women on average are 166cm tall and weigh 68kg
UK women on average are 161.6 cm and weigh 70.2kg

The difference is bigger amongst women, but UK men are also fatter.

Thanks for the calculator, @Ikora

I’m 5’9’’ and an hourglass so I have massive hips. At a size 16 I have a healthy bmi!

@SwedishK British men and woman are to short...