For years, the so-called "dad bod," a softer, more relaxed male body, has been considered attractive.
This image, often associated with the likes of Vince Vaughn, Seth Rogen and David Harbour, has been presented as a more natural masculine ideal. But a new study suggests its popularity may be on the decline.
According to research, women seem to prefer a lean, athletic, and toned male body, similar to the physiques of Brad Pitt or Ryan Reynolds. Men, meanwhile, tend to prefer more curvy female bodies, similar to figures like Kelly Brook, Beyoncé, or Nigella Lawson.
The results show that when it comes to physical attractiveness, people don't usually opt for the extremes that are often promoted on social media. Extremely skinny or extremely muscular bodies weren't necessarily the most desirable. On the contrary, participants were more attracted to more natural and balanced shapes.
"The most interesting thing about this analysis is that people did not choose the most extreme body types, which are often presented to us as ideal," said a spokeswoman for SoloFun, the company that commissioned the study.
"People who were attracted to men preferred a leaner, more athletic body, while those attracted to women leaned more towards a softer, more curvy body."
The survey involved more than 2 adults who were shown comparative images of different body fat percentages. They were asked which body they found most attractive.
The analysis showed that for the male body, the most desirable body fat percentage was not the extremely low, "superhero"-style one often promoted online. Instead, a level of around 15 percent body fat was preferred, which is typically associated with a healthy, athletic, and natural appearance.
This suggests that the "dad bod" may not be as attractive as it once was. A male body with 20 percent body fat ranked second, followed by 25 percent. The least popular option was the highest level, 35 percent body fat.
For participants who were attracted to women, the most preferred percentage was 30 percent body fat. This indicates that they favored a softer, more shapely female body, rather than a very thin physique.
In second place was the 25 percent body fat level, while 45 percent, the highest level offered in the survey, was the least preferred.
Although the numbers look different for men and women, this is due to the way male and female bodies store fat. A man with 15 percent body fat does not look the same as a woman with the same percentage, as women naturally have higher levels of essential fat.
For men, a healthy body fat level often ranges from about 10 to 20 percent. For women, it usually ranges from 20 to 30 percent. A woman with 15 percent body fat would usually look very thin and could face hormonal problems, while a man with 15 percent often looks athletic and healthy.
Meanwhile, a woman with 30 percent body fat can still look healthy and shapely, while a man with 30 percent would usually look significantly heavier.
There are various theories about why people prefer different body shapes. It is thought that some women associate muscles with strength, health and protection. However, a Yale professor has previously claimed that some women may prefer men with a "dad bod" because this physique can be perceived as a sign of longevity.
Richard Bribiescas, a professor of anthropology, has argued that this may make these men appear better suited to starting families, passing on genes to offspring and resisting disease.
Other studies have suggested that women prefer men with muscular shoulders and torsos, but only if they are tall. According to experts, a higher shoulder-to-hip ratio, where the circumference of the shoulders is greater than that of the waist, is seen as a sign of attractiveness.
However, the study suggests that shorter men may not change women's perception of their attractiveness much just by adding muscle.
"Our results showed that women's perceptions of men's attractiveness, masculinity, and fighting ability were influenced by height and shoulder-to-hip ratio, as well as the interaction between them," lead author Farid Pazhoohi told PsyPost. /GazetaExpress/
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