BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese women are now taller and have bigger bust size compared with a decade ago, thanks largely to better living conditions, particularly a balanced diet.

    The average bust size of Chinese women swelled by one centimeter and their average height increased by 0.5 centimeter, according to a research by the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology.

    The sample monitoring on nearly 3,000 females aging from 18 to 55 over the past six years showed Chinese women are taking on an S-shaped figure, compared with a flat shape in the 1990s.

    The Beijing Evening News said the change in women's figure, which is also owed to more sports and keep-fit activities, provides a "wonderful" opportunity for underwear makers.

    It is predicted that China's underwear market will grow 20 percent annually in the coming 10 years. Last year, the market recorded an estimated sales of 140 billion yuan (17.3 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem