There is no such thing as the perfect body.
Everyone has their own standards and preferences which is why the only thing that matters is that one feels good and healthy in their own body. On top of that, the times are changing fast and what was once popular might nowadays be considered unwanted and vice versa.
Centuries ago, the chubbier one was, the better they were perceived by the society, as being obese meant being wealthy. While only decades ago being curvy was still in, the 90’s came with a twist that encouraged girls to be skinny. Nowadays, however, we could say there’s a mix of both.
To further investigate this issue, Professor John Speakman conducted a comprehensive study to find out what men identify as the perfect female body. In his search for answers, men from 10 countries were asked to rank a sequence of body figures from the most appealing one to the least attractive one.
According to the results of the study, the majority of men prefer young-looking body shapes with a BMI of 19.
Sadly, BMI 19 is already on the borderline between having a normal weight and being underweight. Furthermore, as the results concluded, the higher the BMI, the less attractive the women were found by the men.
As John explained, “fitness in evolutionary terms comprises two things: survival and the ability to reproduce.” Consecutively, he wonders whether the results originate from this primal instinct or if there’s more going on in the background.
Dr. Lobke Vaanholt, another author of the study, explained that “most people will not be surprised that extreme thinness was perceived as the most attractive body type.” According to her, the notion of thinner bodies being more ideal “prevails so heavily in media, culture, and fashion.”
Lobke suggests that men prefer thinner women because they associate their BMI and body shape with youth, lower risk of disease, and fertility.
Surprisingly, these recent results contradict earlier theories that suggest men are more attracted to women with higher BMI (24 – 25) because it indicates survival.
What do you make of this issue? Do you think there’s too much pressure on women to fit the modern beauty standards? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to SHARE this story with your friends and family!