Men With “Dad Bods” Are More Attractive to Women, an Online Survey Showed

The media paints the ideal man to look fit, masculine, and have a 6-pack. That’s why it’s believed that many women search for a well-chiseled body when looking for a partner. But an online survey showed that women prefer to focus on personality over looks, and they were actually more fond of men who had “dad bods.”

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and we at Bright Side think that they’re all equally beautiful. Because we believe this at the end of the day, it’s what’s on the inside that matters.

A “dad bod” is the most preferable body type.

The online dating platform, Dating.com, conducted a survey among its members to discover their body type preferences when looking for a partner. And the results came as a surprise, as only 15% of those surveyed shared that they prefer a “Barbie” or “Ken-like” body type.

To 20% of those surveyed, the body type of their partner didn’t matter, as they preferred to focus on personality over looks. And nearly 75% shared that they are a fan of the “dad bod.”

More women prefer soft and round bodies rather than toned ones.

Women on Reddit shared the reason why:

• Because it’s comforting. And strong at the same time. Nothing better than a “dad bod” to cuddle with. — tjr634
• “Dad bod” guys tend to be more balanced and available to others, which is far more appealing. — quats5
• From an “attraction” perspective, it’s because I know you are focusing on something greater than your physical appearance (whether it’s a job or family), and that is an appealing attribute. — bananafish018

• I enjoy it when a guy still takes care of himself but also enjoys good food, which is where my love of the dad bod comes in. Now when I say dad bod, I mean when a man is strong and has a little padding. — eb110043
• It’s not just the “dad bod,” but that “dad humor” that comes with it that makes his companionship the best. I can’t deny that his belly doesn’t make a good pillow either. — NadLip415

• Depends on how you define it. I sway heavily towards muscular men. Don’t really care about abs, but strong triceps and quads have my attention. So if dad bods include super muscular men with some pudge, I’ll be all over that. — riricide

Some of them prefer men with “dad bods” more because they don’t intimidate them.

• My boyfriend has the perfect dad bod. He’s strong and athletic but loves food. Best of both worlds.
  But the best thing? I’m not intimidated by his physique. I don’t feel the need to keep up with him. If he goes to the gym, I don’t feel guilty about staying home. In other words, I can be myself. — Hope Laust
• A super-fit body is intimidating to me, and I would think that this person may not have enough free time to spend with me (assuming most of his free time is spent in the gym). I feel more relaxed around someone with an average body because my body is average as well. I would also worry that it would be hard to cook for them and that they wouldn’t want to go out to eat. — GlowForTheGold

This is what having a “dad bod” actually means.

It is a nice balance between being fit and having a pooch or visible belly — a man who exercises occasionally but that also lives a comfortable life and enjoys eating pizza.

Do you find men with “dad bods” attractive?