Abstract

Age, gender, and Body Mass Index (BMI) significantly influence foot dimensions. However, research on BMI's impact is limited, focusing primarily on implications for shoe design. This study aimed to collect foot anthropometric data from Indian adults and examine the impact of BMI on foot dimensions. A total of 270 volunteers participated, divided into Normal (n=135) and Overweight (n=135) groups based on BMI. The average age, height, and weight of the normal and overweight participants were 21.96 ± 4.174 years, 162.58 ± 8.925 cm, and 58.24 ± 8.593 kg, and 24.17 ± 7.476 years, 165.87 ± 9.205 cm, and 74.65 ± 9.662 kg, respectively. Foot anthropometric data were recorded using a 3D foot scanner and analyzed with SPSS v26. Spearman correlation indicated a significant positive relationship between BMI and foot dimensions, excluding arch height (p<0.01). The Mann-Whitney U test showed significant differences (p<0.05) between normal and overweight groups in all measured parameters, except for foot arch height. The findings of this study reveal that BMI significantly influences foot morphology in overweight participants, who exhibit broader and longer feet than those of normal-weight individuals. These variations highlight the need for BMI-specific footwear design to improve fit, comfort, and stability. However, further research with a larger sample size, considering age, sex, and ethnicity, is necessary to establish a comprehensive database.

Keywords

BMI, Foot Dimension, Overweight, Footwear Sizing System, Dimensional Variation,

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