Abstract

It is important for elderly consumers to remain active as regular exercise has been shown to improve quality of and extend life. As individuals’ body shapes often change as they age due to certain factors, these changes influence their body satisfaction and dress behaviors. Furthermore, clothing preferences are directly related to one’s daily lifestyle, so that it is important to examine how certain factors related to this affect the behavior of elderly consumers. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine how body shapes and activewear preferences are related to exercise behavior for elderly female consumers. This study employed a quantitative survey method, and a questionnaire and images of activewear choices were developed. A total of 242 usable data were collected. The average age of participants was 70. The results showed that elderly female consumers preferred tops with loose fit and short sleeves and pants with loose fit and ankle length for activewear. Relationships between exercise behavior and activewear preferences, as well as between weight perception and activewear preferences, were identified. Further investigation to develop appealing activewear styles for elderly consumers will be needed as elderly female consumers prefer to wear the activewear outfits for their daily wear as well.