Media campaigns and celebrity diets have put an end to an era of healthy eating that never really caught on, and dawned on us an age of thin models with the rest of the world starving themselves to get there.
The advocacy of thin female representations in media to suit the purchase of commercial products, has caused a rather upsetting state of mind that seems irreversible should the attempts be made.
Contrary to popular notion that sexual attraction is leveraged by the apparent lack of body mass altogether evolutionary psychology suggests otherwise.
Studies carried out on physical attractiveness with male participants have clearly indicated a preference to a much healthier body shape in women. While women too prefer a certain type of physique in the men they date.
Men are genetically hardwired to be attracted to mates who indicate higher fertility levels in an attempt to maximize the number of offspring produced. No amount of media convention changes the genetic wiring of a man. However it is possible that over prolonged years of exposure to these cues in media, evolution might rewrite preferences, especially if the modern day trend to have less children continues.
The emphasis on physique is due in part to body type being a reliable sign of fertility levels. Men according to findings are attracted to women who have an average BMI (Body Mass Index), something that all super models lack being frighteningly underweight. The determining factor however lies in the WHR (Waist to Hip Ratio) a ratio of 0.7 for women is the preferred WHR.
A gynoid body type is the desired result of a healthy female following puberty due to the oestrogen produced and released during the transition period. Fat distribution to hips, buttocks and breasts create a smaller appearing waist relative to the hips.
Contrary also to popular misconception, larger breasts may not be the determining factor in attraction, instead the proportion of the breasts in relation to the hips contributing to the hour glass figure is more in demand.
On the flipside women in keeping with the same evolutionary theory are attracted to what is known as an android body shape in men. The ideal WHR is considered to be 0.9 for men with top heavy frames complimented by slight pelvis and waist circumventing the popular ‘V’ shaped body.
The underlying reason being the high levels of testosterone usually associated with the sculpting of this type of physique. Women also are known to prefer men who are older and taller in relation to them.
To be fair preference isn’t always evolutionarily satisfying as in the case of homo-sexuality which serves no reproductive value to the species. Regardless the attraction that a frail unhealthy woman holds for a man is unfounded and difficult to establish.
It’s safe to assume that a majority of men will not prefer a supermodel to a woman who satisfies the above criteria except for reasons involving social proof, an entirely different topic altogether.
The fact remains that unhealthy eating habits nor disorders will contribute positively to winning affection or self satisfaction whatever the motive may be. As per evolutionary psychology atleast.
By Dilshan Senaratne
0 Comments
katie says:
Sep 12, 2012 at 04:16 amNo way will I encourage anyone to go this far. Those models look ghostly and their bodies look very old, no! no! no-way will I encourage anyone to this extent. There is no beauty but just skin and bone.