What makes your hips appear wider? A comprehensive guide to factors

September 29, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, hip bones can continue to widen with age, even after vertical growth has stopped. Understanding the various factors that influence your skeletal structure, fat distribution, and muscle development can shed light on what makes your hips appear wider. It's a combination of genetics, hormones, age, and lifestyle choices.

Quick Summary

Several factors contribute to the appearance of wider hips, including genetic bone structure, the influence of estrogen during puberty and beyond, and the natural distribution of fat and muscle mass. While skeletal width is predetermined, lifestyle factors like exercise, diet, and posture can influence muscle development and fat storage to enhance or alter hip prominence. Aging can also lead to changes in pelvic bone structure.

Key Points

Bone structure is key: The underlying width of your pelvis is the most significant factor determining hip size, and this is genetically determined.
Hormones play a vital role: Estrogen, particularly during puberty and before menopause, drives the development of wider hips and influences where the body stores fat.
Age adds to width: Pelvic bones naturally widen as people age, contributing to a broader hip appearance later in life, separate from weight gain.
Exercise can build muscle: You can enhance your hip appearance by strengthening and building the gluteal and outer thigh muscles through targeted exercises like squats and lunges.
Posture and clothing create perception: Changing your posture or wearing certain clothes that emphasize the waist can create the illusion of wider hips.
Body fat distribution matters: Where your body naturally stores fat, a trait influenced by genetics, significantly affects the visual prominence of your hips.

Genetic and Hormonal Influences on Hip Width

Your body's inherent shape and size are significantly determined by genetics. Your bone structure, including the width of your pelvis, is largely inherited and is a primary determinant of your hip size.

The Role of Estrogen

Estrogen, the primary female sex hormone, plays a critical role in shaping the female figure, particularly during puberty. The increase in estrogen levels during this time causes the pelvis to widen and also directs the body to store fat in the buttocks, hips, and thighs. This hormonal influence is why women, on average, have wider hips than men. This process is a biological adaptation for childbirth. As women approach menopause, estrogen levels decline, and fat distribution may shift from the hips and thighs to the waist.

Pelvic Bone Changes with Age

Beyond puberty, your hip bones don't stop changing. Research has shown that the pelvis, the bony structure of the hips, continues to widen with age in both men and women. This natural process contributes to the well-known 'middle-aged spread' and explains why hips can appear wider as you grow older, irrespective of changes in body fat.

Body Composition and Lifestyle Factors

While genetics provide the framework, your body composition and daily habits have a significant impact on how your hips look.

Fat Distribution

Where your body stores fat is influenced by genetics and hormones. If you have a tendency to store fat in your lower body, particularly around your hips and thighs, this will naturally contribute to a wider appearance. This is often referred to as a 'pear' or 'hourglass' body shape. Conversely, if your body tends to store fat around the waist ('apple' shape), your hips may appear less prominent in comparison. Gaining weight overall will result in wider hips, but it's important to remember that fat storage is not selective, and you can't spot-reduce fat.

Muscle Development

Building muscle in and around your hip area can increase its size and prominence. The gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus), along with the muscles of the outer thighs, can be targeted through specific exercises. Strengthening these muscles can lead to a more toned and defined lower body, contributing to a curvier silhouette.

Squats: A classic exercise for building glutes and quads.
Lunges: Side lunges, in particular, target the hip and thigh muscles.
Hip Thrusts: Excellent for isolating and building the gluteus maximus.
Side-Lying Leg Raises: Focuses on the gluteus medius, which is located on the outer hip.
Glute Bridges: Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings.

Posture and Perception

Sometimes, the appearance of hip width is a matter of perception, influenced by posture and clothing. Poor posture can make your silhouette look less defined, while a correct posture can accentuate your natural curves. When you stand or sit with a straight back and engaged core, your natural shape is more visible. Choosing clothing that emphasizes your waistline can also create the illusion of wider hips by highlighting the waist-to-hip ratio.

The Role of Exercise in Changing Hip Appearance

While you cannot change your underlying bone structure through exercise, you can significantly alter the look of your hips by focusing on muscle development and body composition. A well-rounded fitness plan is key.

Targeted Exercises for the Hips

Building the glutes and thigh muscles can give the appearance of fuller, rounder hips. Focusing on strength training with heavier weights and lower repetitions can promote muscle hypertrophy (growth). Consistency is crucial for seeing noticeable changes over time.

Cardio and Overall Body Fat

To see the results of muscle development, it's helpful to maintain a healthy body fat percentage. Regular cardio exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming, can help manage overall body weight. Aerobic exercise, combined with strength training, helps create a leaner physique where the muscle definition in your hips is more visible.

Comparing Approaches to Wider Hips


Feature	Exercise & Diet	Surgery (e.g., Fat Transfer)	Clothing & Posture	Genetics & Aging
Effect	Enhances muscle definition and shape; reduces overall body fat.	Permanently alters body shape and fat distribution.	Creates an illusion of wider hips; temporary.	Determines fundamental bone structure; natural age-related changes.
Cost	Low (gym membership, equipment).	High (significant financial investment).	Low to moderate (new clothes).	None (inherent factors).
Invasiveness	Non-invasive.	Highly invasive (surgical procedure).	Non-invasive.	Not applicable.
Longevity	Requires consistent effort to maintain.	Permanent, though results can change with weight fluctuations.	Temporary; only lasts while using the method.	Permanent; changes with age are unavoidable.
Risks	Low risk of injury if proper form is used.	Significant surgical and recovery risks.	None.	None (a natural process).

Conclusion

Your hip width is a complex result of your genetic blueprint, influenced by hormones, age, and lifestyle choices. While the size of your pelvic bones is a fixed factor, the development of your gluteal and thigh muscles, as well as your body's fat distribution, are variables that can be influenced. Targeted exercises can build muscle and create a curvier appearance. Additionally, using clothing and mindful posture can create an immediate, temporary effect. Ultimately, understanding the various contributing factors allows you to appreciate your body's unique shape and make informed decisions about how you wish to enhance it. For more detailed information on anatomy and physiology, consult a reputable medical resource such as the Cleveland Clinic, which provides reliable educational content(https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21799-pelvis).

Key takeaways

Genetics is the foundation: Your pelvic bone width, a primary determinant of hip size, is largely set by your genetics and cannot be changed by exercise. Estrogen drives female curves: During puberty, estrogen promotes pelvic widening and directs fat storage to the hips, thighs, and buttocks, shaping the typical female figure. Aging causes natural widening: Research shows that pelvic bones continue to widen throughout adulthood in both men and women, contributing to a broader hip appearance over time. Muscle and fat are modifiable: You can use targeted exercises, such as squats and lunges, to build gluteal and thigh muscles, and manage fat distribution to enhance your curves. Appearance can be altered: Posture and clothing choices can create the illusion of wider hips by accentuating your waistline and lower body shape. Multiple factors are at play: A combination of inherent skeletal structure, hormonal shifts, and lifestyle factors like exercise and diet determines what makes your hips appear wider.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, exercise cannot change your bone structure. Your pelvic bone width is determined by genetics. However, exercises that target the gluteal muscles can build muscle mass around the hips, giving them a fuller, curvier appearance.

Yes, scientific studies have shown that the pelvic bone structure widens naturally with age in both men and women, which contributes to an overall broader hip circumference later in life.

During puberty, estrogen causes the pelvis to widen and promotes fat storage in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. This creates the characteristic female body shape. A decrease in estrogen, such as during menopause, can cause fat distribution to shift.

No. While fat distribution is a factor, wider hips can also be due to your underlying genetic bone structure, muscle mass, or natural aging processes. Some individuals are genetically predisposed to storing more fat in this area, but it is not the sole cause.

Exercises that focus on the gluteal muscles are most effective. Good options include squats, hip thrusts, side lunges, glute bridges, and side-lying leg raises.

No, spot reduction of fat is not possible. You cannot choose where your body loses fat. A healthy diet and regular overall exercise will reduce body fat, and where you lose it first is determined by genetics.

Yes, your posture can influence how your hips appear. Standing and sitting correctly can accentuate your natural curves and create a more defined waist-to-hip ratio, making your hips seem wider.