Why Women Are Choosing Men With “Dad Bods” Over Six-Packs, Study Reveals

Musclebound men are surely attractive, but it’s the men with a bit of “dad bod” bulk, like Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce, who are truly winning women’s hearts. This isn’t just a guess; it’s backed by science. Let’s explore why “dad bods” are gaining popularity and what makes them appealing to women.

The “dad bod” appeal.

A report from Dating.com found that nearly 75% of singles prefer the "dad bod." This means they like a figure that isn't super chiseled.

In a similar survey by PlanetFitness, 78% of women said that men with "dad bods" are confident in their own skin. Almost half of the women surveyed thought a soft belly was the new six-pack. Impressively, 83% of mothers said they would be proud to have a husband with a little bit of chub.

Women go beyond the looks.

Interestingly, women don’t necessarily find men with extra weight physically attractive. Instead, they see these men as having better traits for evolutionary fitness. Women described them as affectionate and nurturing.

On the other hand, men with big muscles and high testosterone levels are often seen as less appealing. According to an analysis, high testosterone can make men appear more aggressive.

Experts weighed in on the reason why.

Joel Wade, a professor and psychologist at Bucknell University, wrote in Psychology Today that women might find men with lower testosterone levels more appealing. They assume these men are less aggressive and have qualities that make them better partners and fathers.

Some studies even found that extremely attractive men are more likely to cheat. This is because they often get more offers for romantic affairs. Therefore, women might feel more secure with a partner who has a bit of extra weight.

Other scientific research agrees.

Research on the "dad bod" has been extensive. One study looked at men with different waist-to-chest ratios (WCR), ranging from .60 to .90. A WCR of .80 or .90 is considered a "dad bod". Men with lower WCRs were rated higher for attractiveness, but those with a dad bod were rated higher for traits like being friendly, affectionate and good parents.

Another study by Sell and colleagues in 2017 reported that a strong but not overly muscular body is most appealing. This appeal could be because the traits associated with the "dad bod" relate to long-term relationship success. The "dad bod" might not be the most physically attractive, but it fits well with women's preferences for long-term partners.

A professor from Yale suggested that some women choose men with “dad bods” because it signals that the man might make a good father. Research involving many women showed mixed results, but two things were clear: women generally don’t like excessive muscles or too much fat. The ideal seems to be a balance between the two.

For instance, a 2012 study by the University of Washington involved 842 college-educated women who were shown artistic impressions of 18 male bodies to determine the preferred levels of fat and muscle. They saw nine bodies with different muscle levels, from almost no muscle to very muscular, and nine bodies with varying fat levels, from skinny to the fattest.

The results showed women mostly preferred thinner men, scoring 40 out of 90, but they also liked men with some muscle, with an average score of 50 out of 90. Interestingly, the preferred look was not a six-pack or bulging biceps but rather a more average, everyday appearance.

And here are the sexiest men of 2024, check them out!