From Kim Kardashian to Beyonce, many of the most beautiful women in the world are known for their hourglass figures.
But why do men find this body shape so attractive?
Dr Jeanne Bovet, an evolutionary biologist at Stony Brook University has explored this age-old question in a new study, published in Frontiers in Psychology.
In the study, Dr Bovet analysed previous research about the traits linked to a woman’s waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and why these women may be perceived as better mates.
Women with a low WHR have an hourglass figure, while those with high WHR have a more straight figure.
The first traits identified were relatively basic.
Dr Bovet said: “Sex, age, pregnancy and number of children can all be reliably inferred.”
As women age and have children, their WHR usually increases, which could infer to men that they're less appealing mates, according to Dr Bovet.
She explained: “WHR tracks reproduction potential, which is null in prepubertal, pregnant and postmenopausal women; peaks in the twenties; and is unreliable in women with many children or none.”
However, a rather surprising trait linked to WHR that Dr Bovet identified was baby fat.
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