3D Anthropometric Analysis of Women’s Aging Bodies: Upper Body Shape and Posture Changes

Abstract

Women’s upper body changes with age are categorized and analyzed. The researchers validated shape-related measurement variables, extracted principal components, and classified the shapes of 423 women ages 40–69 using 3 D body scans from the CAESAR database. Shape and posture differences were quantified according to four age groups based on 47 measurements processed into 27 shape-related variables; six principal components (i.e. acromion inclination, upper body slope, neck inclination, shoulder angle, upper back curvature, and back protrusion height) were identified. Acromial inclination, shoulder angle, and back protrusion height did not change with age, but upper back curvature increased after age 45, and the slope of the upper body inclined further forward after age 50. The neck demonstrated a more pronounced incline after age 55. The 50–69 group exhibited the greatest upper body slope and the largest back curvature. The 40–44 group showed the most backward shoulder point and the highest shoulders.