This Is The Female Body Shape That Men Find Most Attractive (2024)

It has nothing to do with a big chest or a box gap - by Alex Pierotti

By Mens Health Staff | Jun 17, 2019

This Is The Female Body Shape That Men Find Most Attractive (1)

When it comes to female bodies glamourised in Hollywood, it’s always been skinny frame and big chest. But if new evidence is anything to go by, a desirable female body has nothing to do with the space between their thighs.

According to a new study published in the journalEvolution and Human Behavior, women with a‘low waist-to-hip ratio (WHRs)’ –commonly known as an ‘hourglass figure’ – are seen to have the most attractive bodies.

Interestingly, this is because the body shape is a sign of “physical and sexual maturity in young women who have not been pregnant.”

RELATED: 3 Ways To Decrease Your Chances Of Infertility

“Because evolution depends entirely on individual success in reproducing, anything to do with reproduction, such as choosing a mate, should be optimised by natural selection,” explains William D. Lassek, study author and a researcher in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

“Thus understanding the reasons why men find certain women attractive should help us better understand human evolution. The two elements which have been the subject of most research are women’s waist/hip ratios (WHRs) and body mass indices (BMIs).”

In their research, scientists examined data from more than 12,000 female participants in two National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (US-based studies that explore the health and nutritional state of affairs of adults and children).

Findings suggest that women with low WHRs have better reproductive potential. Researchers also noted that youngerfemales with lower waist-to-stature ratiosdisplayed higherlevels of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well, a nutrient crucial during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

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“For the past 30 years the explanation for male preferences that has generally been accepted is that they look for signs of health and fertility, butwe have shownthat the very small waist sizes and low BMIs linked with attractiveness in well-nourished women do not indicate better health or fertility,” Lassek tellsPsyPost.

“What they do indicate is that a woman is likely to be young (15-19), has never been pregnant, and has maximal stores of brain building fatty acids. In groups where women have less food and are heavier in their teens, men prefer the higher BMIs that indicate youth. The preference of men for younger women will probably come as no surprise to most women.

“Highly attractive women tend to be 2-4 inches taller than average. We are working on trying to understand why. Also we believe that young women with attractive WHRs and BMIs may be better able to survive a first pregnancy when modern obstetric care is unavailable,” Lassek concludes.

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This Is The Female Body Shape That Men Find Most Attractive (2024)

FAQs

This Is The Female Body Shape That Men Find Most Attractive? ›

According to a new study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, women with a 'low waist-to-hip ratio (WHRs)' – commonly known as an 'hourglass figure' – are seen to have the most attractive bodies.

What female body shape do men find most attractive? ›

Researchers at the University of California in Santa Barbara led by William D. Lassek investigated which female body type men find most attractive. The result was that very skinny bodies, like those of many top models, did not score very well. The so-called hourglass figure proved to be the ideal.

What body shape is attractive for men? ›

According to recent studies, the most attractive male body shape is a muscular upper body. When asked to rate images of shirtless guys, women consistently found the ones with the stronger looking, more muscular men to be more attractive.

Which body part attracts guys most? ›

10 Physical Features That Attract Men The MOST
  • Legs.
  • Eyes.
  • Lips.
  • Clear skin.
  • Hair.
  • Well-kept nails, hands, and feet.
  • Your figure.
  • Your smile.
Sep 6, 2017

What shape do most men prefer? ›

The body shape that men generally find attractive in women has a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7. That's the ratio of a 70cm waist and 100cm hips, though the study found that size wasn't as important as the proportions. Men like curves.

Do guys like face or body better? ›

"When men were evaluating a short-term mate for a one-night stand they showed equal interest in her face and body instead of the face winning by a blowout." For long-term 75 percent of male participants wanted to see the face, but for short-term flings 50 percent of men chose face and 50 percent chose the body.

What is body shape for men? ›

Rectangle, oval, triangle, inverted triangle, and trapezoid are the 5 male body shapes. Each one is based on the general shape of your torso and focuses on the proportions of your shoulders, waist, and hips.

What is the warmest part of your body female? ›

Different parts of our body have different temperatures, with the rectum being the warmest (37℃), followed by the ears, urine and the mouth. The armpit (35.9℃) is the coldest part of our body that is usually measured.

What attracts a man to a woman first? ›

Nothing attracts more to a man than a woman with a high self-esteem. A confident woman is independent and can tackle any situation in her life. Even in the long run, the guy can depend on his partner and feel secured.

What makes a girl attractive? ›

According to science, men find women more attractive when they are smart, intelligent, caring, confident, humorous, kind, independent, and supportive. Although these qualities may generally apply, what one man may find the most attractive may differ from another.

What do men look for in a woman? ›

Men love women who are thoughtful, caring, loving, and kind. A woman who does little things for her man for no other reason other than that she loves him. A woman who makes him smile back whenever she smiles at him. A woman who radiates love and warmth from her heart.

What excites a man about a woman? ›

Women are fierce and strong, and men are always excited to see them do - what they do best! They appreciate a woman having a strong sense of passion and a thrilling zest for life that keeps her grounded and rock solid at the same time.

What makes your man want you more? ›

Make sure your compliment your man more often than not. Do not restrict your compliments to just his looks. Tell him how you appreciate him doing things for you or how you liked the way he dealt with a certain situation. Compliments like these will re-instill is self confidence and he will start loving you more.

What attracts a man to a woman long-term? ›

Trust. Trust is an integral part of a long-term relationship for both men and women. Guys want connection just as women do, and they want to do things with their partner. They prefer activities where they can focus less on what they're feeling and more on the experience.

Do men prefer beauty or youth? ›

“You'd think that men would always go for 20-year-olds, but they don't,” says evolutionary psychologist George Fieldman of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. “Men prefer attractiveness over youthfulness when selecting a long-term partner.”

What is the rarest body type for men? ›

The inverted triangle is the least common male body shape. The upper body is very broad with noticeable tapering to the waist. This is also more typical among athletes.

Who has the best body shape? ›

Hourglass Body Shape

One of the most desired body shapes is an hourglass one. It looks the most balanced of all, and if you have this body shape, then it means your hips and bust measurements are equal in size, and you have a waist that is well-defined and narrower than your bust and hips.

What is the best body type? ›

Mesomorph: This body type is generally considered the ideal body type. Individuals usually look lighter and have a more rectangular bone structure, longer limbs, thinner bones and a flatter ribcage. A mesomorph has a natural tendency to stay fit and achieve muscle mass very easily.

What is the perfect body shape size for a woman? ›

The specific proportions of 36–24–36 inches (90-60-90 centimeters) have frequently been given as the "hourglass" proportions for women since at least the 1960s (these measurements are, for example, the title of a hit instrumental by The Shadows).

What is the perfect body shape for a woman? ›

One of the most desired body shapes is an hourglass one. It looks the most balanced of all, and if you have this body shape, then it means your hips and bust measurements are equal in size, and you have a waist that is well-defined and narrower than your bust and hips.

Why do guys like hourglass figure? ›

It's not just the way they look that makes men prefer them, though. Scientists claim it's in men's nature to prefer this body type because having an hourglass figure is a sign that a woman is young, has never been pregnant and has "key reproductive resources".

What is the most attractive body fat percentage for a woman? ›

“Our participants optimised a healthy-looking body composition for women at around 19% fat, and a most attractive-looking body type of just 16% fat.

What are the 5 female body types? ›

The five principal body classification shapes are rectangle, inverted triangle, hourglass, pear, and apple. To help you figure out a female body shape, you can check in front of a mirror without clothes or just your undergarments.

What is the perfect hip size for a woman? ›

There is no particular hip size that is the most attractive. Instead, hip sizes about 1.4 to 1.5 times the waist size are considered the most appealing. For example, for a person having a waist circumference between 24 to 28 inches, a hip size of 36 inches would be regarded as the most attractive.

What do men like in a woman? ›

Men love women who are thoughtful, caring, loving and kind. A woman who does little things for her man for no other reason other than that she loves him. A woman who makes him smile back whenever she smiles at him. A woman who radiates love and warmth from her heart.

Are muscles attractive on a girl? ›

The fact that women have muscles is as natural as breathing; for many men, this is the most attractive feature of the female body. Men adore a body that can support a strong personality. They are especially attracted to strong, capable sexy bbs and muscular women.

Which body figure is perfect? ›

Hourglass, X shape, triangles opposing, or facing inwards

This body shape (typically presented as the "ideal") describes a person with hip and bust measurements nearly equal in size, with a narrower waist measurement.

Why do men find hips attractive? ›

Research across a variety of cultures has demonstrated that men typically find the curvaceous female form sexually attractive. Other studies have shown that wide hips in women are associated with health and reproductive potential, so the attraction makes evolutionary sense.

Why do guys find curves attractive? ›

On the other hand, men preferred women with bigger curves. Why is this the case? To put simply, curves are attractive because they signal – fertility and health. Women who are more shapely are seen as more fertile and have bodies which are better equipped for child bearing.

Do men find holding a woman's waist sensual? ›

All men are different but to be honest most men do find holding a woman's waist hip area sensual. That is one of the biggest ways a woman can tell want is meant in hugging.

What body fat is most attractive to guys? ›

The study found that 12% was the most attractive body fat percentage. Attractiveness by body fat followed a bell-shaped curve: 12% body fat is optimum. If you exceed this value, you become less attractive as your body fat percentage increases. Less body fat than 12%, however, also reduces attractiveness.

Why are muscles attractive? ›

Muscles attract attention.

They suggest that formidability may be a feature of others that the human mind has evolved to detect, in the same way that we have evolved to automatically encode people's age and sex when we first meet them. Furthermore, people can instantly and accurately assess the formidability of others.

What is the average body fat for a girl? ›

25 to 31% This is a good body fat percentage and the average percentage for a woman.

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