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Medical experts believe that the rise in size is down to the obesity epidemic, pointing to high-density foods such as pizza being eaten during puberty stimulating the growth hormone.

The research from Debenhams found that in 2009, ladies' size nines sales increased by 23 per cent, while sales of size sixes jumped by 17 per cent.

The largest shoe it currently stocks as standard is a nine, but they are now considering stocking size 10 on a regular basis.

Debenhams also found that women in Leeds had the largest feet, followed by those in Belfast, London and Cardiff.

Ed Watson, from the department store chain said: "Big shoes, especially heeled styles, have to be made much stronger with sturdier load-bearing points, able to cope with greater levels of stress and wear.

"In the past, these shoe sizes would have only been available bespoke, but today's women with larger feet want to wear the designer styles which we stock rather than frumpy specially made ones."

Michael Paynton, British Chiropody and Podiatry Association chairman, told The Daily Mail: "I have been in practice 42 years and in that time standard foot sizes have changed dramatically. At one time it would have been difficult for a woman to get a size 6 shoe. Now that is the norm.

"It's part of the process of evolution, as generally people are getting bigger and taller. We are seeing it clinically in both men and women as modern diets and lifestyle change.

"Once, a man's shoe size of six or seven was common, but now sizes 9, 10, 11 and 12 are more commonplace."

Women's bodies in general are getting taller and heavier, according to the UK National Sizing Survey. While a woman was 5ft2in and weight 9st 10lb on average 60 years ago, they are now 5ft 4in and weighs 10st 4lb.

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