PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Social Psychology

Women with lower waist-to-hip ratios are not healthier or more fertile

by Eric W. Dolan
October 28, 2018
in Social Psychology
(Photo credit: lashkhidzetim)

(Photo credit: lashkhidzetim)

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

New research casts doubt on the claim that women who are thin and curvy are found attractive because they are healthy and fertile.

Men tend to be most attracted to women with a relatively low waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of about 0.7 and a body mass index (BMI) around 20 or below. Researchers have theorized that shapeliness and thinness in women are found attractive because they are markers of fertility and health.

But two new studies published in Evolutionary Psychology have failed to find evidence to support this theory — and found some evidence that directly contradicts it.

“It has been widely accepted among evolutionary psychologists that men are attracted to women with maximal fertility, but the evidence that was used to support this idea seemed weak,” said study author William D. Lassek of the University of California at Santa Barbara.

The researchers reviewed previous studies on the topic, but failed to find any evidence that supported the view that low WHRs and low BMIs were associated with better fertility. Instead, they found that both low WHRs and low BMIs were linked to reduced fertility.

Data from 3,164 American women who participated in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey also showed that women with low BMIs in early adulthood had fewer subsequent live births compared to those with higher youth BMIs.

In a separate study, the researchers examined data from 5,076 American women who participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. But they found that women with low BMIs or smaller waist sizes did not tend to have better overall health.

“Science progresses because even views which most scientists accept are still subject to criticism and testing. Although it makes sense that men would want mates with high fertility, the evidence does not support this,” Lassek told PsyPost.

“Women with features that are judged attractive (in groups with plenty of food), like a low body mass index, actually have lower fertility and a greater likelihood of having a newborn who does not survive.”

“Another explanation for why men are attracted to women with low waist-hip ratios and low BMIs needs to be found. One possibility is that men prefer young women even though they are less fertile,” Lassek added.

The studies, “Do the Low WHRs and BMIs Judged Most Attractive Indicate Higher Fertility?” and “Do the Low WHRs and BMIs Judged Most Attractive Indicate Better Health?“, were authored by William D. Lassek and Steven J. C. Gaulin.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePinSend

Get all the latest updates on new psychology research with the free PsyPost app.
 


NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

New study suggests that psychopathic individuals tend to become even worse after age 50

People with borderline tendencies have a higher number of estranged relationships

Biden voters were much more likely to report negative voting than Trump voters in the 2020 election

Women withhold honest sexual communication to protect their partner’s perceived masculinity, study finds

Partners’ heart rates synchronize in complex patterns of interaction when they are in close proximity

New research links deepfake pornography to psychopathic tendencies

RECENT

Reality TV viewing is associated with increased support for traditional gender roles among adolescents

Men who pose shirtless on Tinder are perceived as less competent and more prone to risky sexual behavior

Social media helps improve mood among older adults by enriching their in-person encounters, study suggests

Biden voters were much more likely to report negative voting than Trump voters in the 2020 election

Women withhold honest sexual communication to protect their partner’s perceived masculinity, study finds

  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
Powered by

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

No Result
View All Result
  • About
    • Newsletter signup form
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Contact
  • Contact us
  • My account
  • Privacy policy
  • Psychology news
  • PsyPost app privacy policy
  • Shop
  • SmartMag Home

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.