Whole body scanning as a tool for clothing sizing: Effects on women’s body satisfaction

Grogan, Sarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7510-765X, Storey, Emma, Brownbridge, Kathryn ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4668-755X, Gill, Simeon, Templeton, Clair, Gill, Jayne, Persson, Sofia and Armitage, Christopher J (2020) Whole body scanning as a tool for clothing sizing: Effects on women’s body satisfaction. Journal of the Textile Institute, 111 (6). pp. 862-868. ISSN 0040-5000

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Abstract

Whole-body scanning is increasingly used in the clothing industry, including in large-scale sizing surveys and virtual fitting. However, the impacts of 3D scanning on women’s body satisfaction are unclear as no previous studies have investigated impacts in a controlled experiment. This experiment investigated any causal effect of 3D whole-body scanning, as used in clothing applications, on women’s body satisfaction. Seventy women aged 18-35 years completed body image measures at baseline, immediately post-test, and two weeks later. At post-test relative to controls and controlling for baseline scores, women randomly allocated to the scanner condition scored significantly higher on Body Areas Satisfaction and significantly lower on Self-classified Weight, and positive effects persisted two weeks beyond the experimental session. Results suggest that whole-body scanning may improve women’s body satisfaction and reduce perceived overweight relative to controls, though further research is necessary to examine the reliability of this effect and underlying mechanisms.