What the Science Says About Mating Preferences and Attraction
The "dad bod" has become a polarizing concept. Champions celebrate the dad bod as everywoman‘s dream come true – a cuddly, unpretentious partner focused more on family than fitness. But does science confirm this phenomenon? Do women genuinely prefer aging male bodies over prime athleticism? Or is the allure of dad bods more complicated than popular culture suggests?
Defining Dad Bod Appeal
First, what qualifies as a dad bod? There‘s no strict medical definition, but it loosely refers to a man visibly lacking muscular definition with enough belly pudge to obscure any hints of carved abs. Picture the classic sitcom husband too busy working and raising kids to spend hours sculpting delts at the gym.
Though the term gained traction in a 2015 article published on Mackenzie Pearson‘s CollegeHumor page "Why Girls Love the Dad Bod," the notion of women fawning over schlumpy men is far from a modern revelation.
Goofy chubby husbands with hot wives have been a TV trope for decades. Men like Homer Simpson, Ray Romano in Everybody Loves Raymond, and Dan Conner from Roseanne all landed knockout spouses who allegedly "love a little paunch."
But do real world women genuinely desire soft middles and undefined muscles more than athletic virility? Or is this just a feel-good media myth? Extensive research suggests more primal drivers of desire make fit men the ultimate sexual ideal.
What Science Says About Physical Attraction
From an evolutionary psychology perspective, certain physical traits signal reproductive fitness in men. Indicators like height, symmetrical features, defined musculature and strong shoulders combined with slim hips and a sturdy waist all show genetic favorability.
Greater shoulder width and muscular V-torsos represent elevated testosterone while slim waists indicate efficient fat metabolism – both extremely desirable for offspring survival. These attributes also suggest ability to protect and provide essential resources for nurturing children.
Consistently, studies find bodily signs of strength and virility like broad chests and defined abs highly impact male sexual attractiveness across all cultures.
One cross cultural study published in 2017 measured bodily dimensions considered optimally attractive. Researchers tookbody metrics of men deemed most appealing by women across 30+ countries. The average ideal measurements were:
| Height | 5‘ 11‘‘ |
|---|---|
| Shoulder Width | 24.1 inches |
| Chest Circumference | 43.2 inches |
| Waist Circumference | 32.7 inches |
| Biceps Circumference | 15 inches |
Additionally, data shows ideal body fat percentage for peak attraction falls between 15% – 20%. Dad bods likely exceed 25% if not 30% body fat.
There‘s even an ideally attractive shoulder to waist ratio, measuring around 1.4. Greatest appeal is achieved when men have 40% wider shoulders tapering to more narrow waists like the prototypical inverted triangle.
Of course, individual preferences vary. But in study after study asking people to manipulate digitally generated bodies, the above bodily dimensions prevail. This data leaves little doubt evolutionary drivers equate mesomorphic musculature with high mate value and reproduction potential – not round bellies and tube socks.
Why Some Women Express Love For Dad Bods
If science confirms women are instinctively attracted to displays of virility like broad chests and visible abs, why do some loudly proclaim affection for the doughy dad bod in popular media?
As with most mating topics, the answer involves nuance around short vs long term priorities plus sociological factors including:
1. Reduced Mate Competition
Average men may seem more attainable. Rather than feeling insecure around exceptionally attractive alpha males who undoubtedly draw female attention, schlumpy dudes aren‘t threatening. Love handles suggest fewer "options" lowering odds of cheating.
2. Increased Provision and Parenting Potential
Where ultra fit guys devote hours to gym obsession, men with dad bods seemingly prioritize family over vanity. Moderately out of shape men may also have greater resource acquiring abilities. As one women explained, "A guy who is say, 20lbs overweight, to me suggests better earning potential."
3. Associations With Maturity and Commitment
Since high testosterone fuels sex drive and mate seeking behaviors, the same muscularity signaling strength can indicate relationship instability. Men with less sculpted builds are perceived as more likely to settle down versus chasing endless physical conquests.
4. Comfort and Cuddliness
In one poll asking women to cite reasons for liking dad bods, popular explanations involved cozy belly pudge functioning like a "comfy pillow" during cuddling versus harder muscle. Grizzly bear hugs also got cited as a dad bod benefit.
5. Reactions Against Unrealistic Media Standards
With entertainment media saturated in images of chiseled Adonises presented as female eye candy, some women rebel against these narrowly defined ideals. Preferring average men represents pushback against photoshop promoting impossibly ripped bodies over attainable health.
Of course, even among dad bod champions, truly obese men with BMIs over 35 still rank low on desirability scales. So while a subset of women vocally celebrate pleasantly plump partners, they likely wouldn‘t select those same men for no-strings-attached flings.
Reconciling Competing Attractions
Pressed to select sexual fantasy partners purely on appearance, almost all women lean towards taller men with mesomorphic anatomy featuring broad shoulders, narrow waists and visible musculature. When relationships and fatherhood enter discussions, additional preferences like maturity, earning potential and ultra-ripped abs get deprioritized.
This explains survey results showing while only around 12% of women would sleep with a man sporting a prominent gut, a sizable 88% would readily marry that same guy given other redeeming qualities.
So male physiques do matter significantly for spur of the moment attraction governed mainly by biological urges. But over longer time horizons focused on emotional bonds and practical provisioning, other attributes can offset lack of obvious physicality.
Advice for Male Self Image
What should men glean from these competing accounts and mixed data on the allure of aging bodies? They should recognize human sexuality is complex. Women have multifaceted preferences balancing evolutionary hardwiring with contemporary values and feminism pushing back on media reinforced ideals favoring ultra-lean musclemen.
No single body type guarantees universal appeal or lifelong relationship success. Far more important than any particular waistline measurement are confidence, personality meshing and willingness to commit to family.
However, maintaining vigilant health remains non-negotiable. Obesity markedly raises risks for nearly every life-threatening disease from heart disease to cancer. So the "dad bod ideal" shouldn‘t justify abandoning fitness and letting weight spiral out of control. Staying active has irrefutable physical and mental health benefits for quality of life at every age.