Study: Men Have Bigger Feet
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New research shows that men’s feet are getting bigger. In fact, there has been an 83% increase in the number of “big foots” looking for size 11 shoes and larger in the last two months. The average male in the UK wears size 10 shoes, which is two sizes bigger than the average (size 8) just 40 years ago. Today, retailers whose bigger shoe sizes stopped at 12 are now stocking sizes 13 and even 14 as standard. London Men Have the Largest Feet Men in London, in particular, have the largest feet, a survey has revealed—and they buy more oversized footwear than men in other British cities do. Sheffield comes second with a 78% demand for larger footwear, while Leeds comes third with 72%. Liverpool and Manchester share fourth place with a 69% increase in demand for bigger shoes. Edinburgh and Glasgow are at the bottom of the list with an average of 60% rise in demand.
It Happens Around the World According to research, this is not just a phenomenon happening in the UK. Also, this does not only happen to men. In
the
United
States,
the
average
female shoe size was at 6.5 during the 1960s (equivalent to size 4 in the UK). It rose to 7.5 a decade after. Today, the average woman in America has a shoe size of 8.5 to 9. Some of the celebrities with supersized feet include Stephen Fry and Gerard Butler, who are both size 13. Sam Smith, recent Grammy award runaway winner, wears a size 12. Kate Winslet is a US size 11 and Rihanna is a US size 9.
The Reason Behind the Phenomenon According to experts, the modern man’s taller and heavier body is to blame. Their feet have compensated by growing longer and wider. This significant increase in such a short time, however, is no “Darwinian effect”. They say there is no survival advantage to having bigger feet in the 21st century.
RESOURCES: http://www.wsj.com/articles/feet-are-getting-bigger-and-many-people-wear-shoes-thatdont-fit-right-1405466145 \ http://5pointz.co.uk/ http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/why-our-feet-aregetting-bigger-9481529.html