Method: An exploratory online market analysis of four major retailers with designated plus-size and regular-size apparel was conducted to determine the variety, color, and cost. Total number of options, color options, and cost of the most and least expensive item of short sleeve top, long sleep top, pants/tights, and capris for women and shorts for men was recorded for designated plus- and regular-sized items.
Analysis/Results: Average number of tops and bottoms for women was 22 ± 15.6 for plus-size and 289 ± 257.6 for regular-size apparel. For men, average number of tops and bottoms was 66 ± 25.9 for plus-size and 414 ± 420.8 for regular-size. Average number of color options for plus-size women was 3 ± 1.8 and 5 ± 5.2 for regular-size apparel; for men, plus-size was 5 ± 6.6 and regular-size was 6 ± 7.6. Average percent difference for women between the most expensive items was 12.11% ± 9.06, while average percent difference between the least expensive items was 25.44% ± 18.93, with plus-size apparel being more expensive. Average percent difference for men between the most expensive items was 7.26% ± 7.48, while average percent difference between the least expensive items was 10.85% ± 12.75, with plus-size apparel being the same price or more expensive.
Conclusions: This exploratory analysis revealed a trend in availability, variety, and cost with fewer options and variety and higher cost for plus-size apparel. Limited availability and higher cost may deter individuals with overweight and obesity interested in being physically active. Lewis et al. (2011), for example, found that adults reported lack of plus-size exercise apparel to be a source of stigma which negatively impacted their self-esteem and confidence. These psychological repercussions may affect physical activity behaviors. Future studies should examine the extent to which variability of exercise apparel for individuals with overweight and obesity is associated with stigma and physical activity behaviors.