News release

From: Adelaide University

She’s the blonde bombshell and he’s her square-jawed sidekick. But nearly 70 years after the impossibly perfect Barbie and Ken made their debut, a new study from Adelaide University and the UNSW Sydney shows the iconic pair are finally looking a little more like the rest of us.

Three decades after a landmark Australian study revealed Barbie and Ken’s body proportions were almost unattainable in real life, researchers have revisited the 1996 study and found that Barbie and Ken have undergone a remarkable transformation.

Using the same scientific methods as the original study*, researchers measured today’s Fashionista Barbie dolls – including Curvy, Tall, Petite and Standard Barbie – as well as the latest Ken doll, to determine how closely their body proportions match those of real adults.

The findings show that key body proportions, including waist-to-hip and chest-to-waist ratios, are now much closer to those seen in real populations.

Among the Fashionista range, Curvy Barbie most closely matched today’s average female body proportions, while the latest Ken also showed more realistic proportions than previous versions.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Sara Grafenauer from UNSW Medicine & Health said the findings show the toy industry has made measurable progress, with the new Barbie and Ken range reflecting greater body diversity.

“Barbie and Ken are among the most recognisable cultural icons globally, and for many children, they’re an early and influential representation of what bodies of adults ‘should’ look like,” Assoc Prof Grafenauer said.

“But traditional Barbie and Ken dolls have always had unrealistic and statistically improbable body shapes. In fact, the original dolls’ body shapes were so extreme that less than one in 10 million people could match their proportions.

“Our study found that Barbie and Ken’s body proportions today have become markedly more realistic, with waist-to-hip and chest-to-waist measurements now falling within the normal range for key female body proportions, albeit still below the typical female averages.

“Interestingly, while Ken’s overall body shape has become more realistic, some proportions ­– particularly his chest-to-waist ratio ­­remain less representative of the average man.”

Research has consistently shown that exposure to unrealistic body ideals can influence body image, expectations, and even health behaviours, particularly among children and teens.

Co-researcher, and author of the 1996 study, Professor Kevin Norton said the findings reflected changing community expectations around representation.

“The positive changes we’re seeing in Barbie and Ken’s body shapes should provide some reassurance for health professionals and parents choosing these dolls,” Prof Norton said.

“The greater diversity we’re seeing is a positive step that better reflects the people children see around them every day.

“We know Barbie and Ken are promoted as aspirational role models, so it makes sense that their body shapes and proportions are meaningful to those who play with them.”

Co-researcher Belinda Durey said continued diversity in body shape, size and proportion, alongside positive messages about health, inclusion and body diversity, could further improve how children see themselves and others.

“Children’s toys do more than entertain, they help shape perceptions of bodies, health and identity. The more those toys reflect the diversity of real people, the more positive that influence can be,” Durey said.

“The introduction of multiple body shapes is a positive step. Continued diversification – including variation in size, shape and proportion – can better reflect real populations.

“There’s no doubt that today’s Barbie and Ken are still stylised, but they’re substantially closer to average human body proportions than earlier generations, and that’s a step in the right direction.”

Notes to editors:

• The researchers systematically measured the physical dimensions and proportions of Barbie and Ken dolls and compared them with measurements taken from young males and females aged 18-35 years. Specific measures included: head, neck, chest, waist, hip, thigh, mid-thigh, calf, ankle, upper arm, forearm and wrist, with waist-to-hip, chest-to-waist, and chest-to-hip ratios calculated. Additionally, waist-to-height ratios were also calculated so that the doll proportions could be compared with evolving populations trends.