body shape

depiction of nude man and woman from the Pioneer plaques Human body shape is a complex phenomenon with sophisticated detail and function. The general shape or figure of a person is defined mainly by the molding of skeletal structures, as well as the distribution of muscles and fat. Skeletal structure grows and changes only up to the point at which a human reaches adulthood and remains essentially the same for the rest of their life. Growth is usually completed between the ages of 13 and 18, at which time the epiphyseal plates of long bones close, allowing no further growth (see Human skeleton). Many aspects of body shape vary with gender and the female body shape especially has a complicated cultural history. The science of measuring and assessing body shape is called anthropometry.

depiction of nude man and woman from the Pioneer plaques Human body shape is a complex phenomenon with sophisticated detail and function. The general shape or figure of a person is defined mainly by the molding of skeletal structures, as well as the distribution of muscles and fat. Skeletal structure grows and changes only up to the point at which a human reaches adulthood and remains essentially the same for the rest of their life. Growth is usually completed between the ages of 13 and 18, at which time the epiphyseal plates of long bones close, allowing no further growth (see Human skeleton). Many aspects of body shape vary with gender and the female body shape especially has a complicated cultural history. The science of measuring and assessing body shape is called anthropometry. Classifications of female body sizes are mainly based on the circumference of the bust–waist–hip (BWH), as in 90-60-90 (centimeters) or 36–24–36 (inches) respectively. In this case, the waist–hip ratio is 60/90 or 24/36 = 0.67. Many terms or classifications are used to describe body shape types: Inverted triangle or V-shape: Males often tend to have proportionally smaller buttocks, bigger chests and wider shoulders, wider latissimus dorsi and a small waist which makes for a V-shape of the torso. This shape can be found in 14% females as well. Hourglass shape: Found in 8% of females making it the least common female body shapes, it is narrower in the waist both in front view and profile view. The waist is narrower than the chest region due to the breasts, and narrower than the hip region due to the width of the buttocks, which results in an hourglass figure. Apple: The stomach region is wider than the hip section, mainly seen in males and some females. It is referred to as android fat distribution. Pear or spoon or bell: The hip section is wider than the upper body, mainly found in 20% females. It is referred to as gynoid fat distribution. Rectangle or straight or banana: The hip, waist, and shoulder sections are relatively similar.

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377189989 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.