Size Comparisons and Health Implications
A size 16 translates to a bust of 41 inches, waist of 32.5 inches and hips of 43 inches. To drop from a size 16 to 12 means losing 20 to 30 pounds over 10 to 30 weeks. A healthy weight is a BMI of 18.5-25. Overweight is 25-30 BMI. Above 30 BMI is obese.
Size 16 pants have a 28 inch waist and 30 inch inseam. In the US, size 16 is an XL or XXL. The average American wears a size 16-18. An extra small 5 foot tall, 100 pound woman may wear extra small. A 5 foot 9 inch, 160+ pound woman wears large/extra large. A size XL fits sizes 16/18. A Medium is around size 12. A Small is sizes 8-10. A Large is sizes 14-16.
A healthy BMI is 18.5-25. Overweight is 25-30. Obese is over 30. While not always true, higher sizes can indicate less health. Focus on health, not just size.
Sizing Variations and Perceptions
Is a women’s size 16 big? Regular sizes are 00-16/18. An XL typically stands for “Extra Large” and is usually equivalent to sizes 16-18 in Women’s or 44-46 in Men’s.
Is Size 16 Unhealthy? Size 16 may be in women’s or plus size departments.
A size 1X fits sizes 14/16. Numerical plus sizes are labeled 14W, 16W, etc.
Is a size 14 a medium or large? It depends on the company and clothing type.
XXL is larger than XL. 2XL is significantly larger than XXL. XXS-XXL are standard straight sizes. 0X-5X are plus sizes, size 12-32.