The question of which female body shape men find most appealing has been around for ages. Beyond just observing TikTok influencers or browsing popular women’s magazines, the answer delves deeper than the fashion runways.
Research on ideal body types and misconceptions is a significant topic of interest. While the concept of an ideal body type is ultimately subjective—since not every man will prefer the same body type—various studies indicate a prevalent preference among men for a specific female body shape. Surprisingly, it isn’t the archetype commonly seen in Victoria’s Secret catalogs. These findings suggest that evolution and species survival might influence attraction more than many realize.
Explore research studies that analyze which female body shapes and sizes men find most appealing. You may be intrigued—or perhaps not—by what science reveals.
Research shows that men prefer an ‘hourglass’ figure
An article in Eye on Psi Chi discussed a study’s findings that men are most attracted to women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.70, where the waist is approximately 30% narrower than the hips. According to study author Dr. Devendra Singh, this preference might be biologically ingrained rather than a modern fad. He told Evie Magazine, “The evidence summarized in this paper demolishes the myth that beauty is ever-changing, skin-deep, and superficial. The attractiveness judgment based on figures defined by waist-to-hip ratio is a robust phenomenon evident in various cultures.”
In a 2020 study published in Social Psychology and Personality Science, women with a lower waist-to-hip ratio were rated highest in attractiveness by men in a speed dating experiment. A total of 539 first-year psychology students (275 female) participated, rating each date’s body, face, personality, and overall attractiveness. Interestingly, height also played a role, with taller-than-average women receiving high marks, aligning with modern beauty conventions where models and influencers aim to appear taller. Body mass index (BMI) was another factor considered.
Men appear to prefer women with a ‘healthy’ BMI
While celebrity magazines and pop culture might suggest that men prefer thinner women with lower BMIs, a 2020 study in the British Journal of Psychology found that men favor women with a BMI between 23.01 and 23.46. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a healthy female BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9, depending on various factors.
The study’s authors noted, “men and women chose similar opposite-sex body shapes to optimize health and attractiveness. Although these results align with sexual selection theories, they run contrary to some previous reports.” While the study involved European men, it also referenced research indicating that men in Malaysia and Australia preferred women with lower BMIs, though it acknowledged potential biases in these findings.
So, why do men find these specific characteristics attractive?
According to 2019 research in Evolution and Human Behavior, women with an hourglass figure are likely deemed more attractive by men because a low waist-to-hip ratio suggests youth and no previous pregnancies. Study author William D. Lassek, from the University of California Santa Barbara, explained to PsyPost, “Because evolution depends entirely on individual success in reproducing, anything to do with reproduction, such as choosing a mate, should be optimized by natural selection.” He noted that women with low waist-to-hip ratios had higher levels of omega-3 DHA, vital for infant brain development.
Lassek also pointed out that these findings challenge the long-held belief about men’s preferences: “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, but we have shown that the very small waist sizes and low BMIs linked with attractiveness in well-nourished women do not indicate better health or fertility.”
It’s essential to remember that society’s concept of the “perfect female body” has evolved over time, and physical attractiveness is just one aspect of the whole picture.
