serial muse Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 There were a couple of things that I found interesting. One, the study authors note this: One potential interpretation is that the populations studied here are all exposed to the same western media which promotes a thin female body ideal. which isn't something they can test for, of course. I'm also curious about the subjects' own BMI. Maybe the actual data is somewhere, but we see only the mean and std dev data (mean for most groups is around 23, interestingly) in Table 1. All participants were volunteers. And of course, this was just about judging the attractiveness of women, not men. So...? Maybe a future study? I don't know, it's interesting but I wonder what the take-home is supposed to be here. It's always dangerous to extrapolate from data to mindsets, and that's exactly what people tend to do with this sort of study, which is what's led to the scourge of evo-psych. So...shrug, I guess. 6 Link to post Share on other sites
Toodaloo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 The men you ve picked in your example are/ were professional athletes (Jonah Lomu passed away) , and therefore they exercise (used to exercise) daily. They are muscular and it is a fact that muscles weight more than fat. You just cant compare the stats (height/weight) of someone who is muscular,train daily with your "regular"person that doesn't exercise at all or very little,and expect them to look the same even if they have a similar height ad height.... 205 lbs on your regular man of 5ft10 , he's not going to look muscular and fit, he's going to look fat Trust me, I know my men, having spent a life time oggling them while they are not looking. What you are saying is balls. Bigger men are sexy. The stats quoted by Pogo are totally unrealistic and way too skinny. If I saw your average Joe that skinny I would think him unhealthy. It is that basic and simple. All this does is make men start to feel as bad about their bodies as women usually do. Its all about stupid articles and press saying we all have to be skin and bone or white or black or long hair short hair blaugh blaugh blaugh to be attractive. Poppy cock and balls. Congratulations gender sterio types are catching up but its just stupid and all it does is cause an unhealthy attitude towards body shape, looks and what is actually healthy... Anorexia is NOT and that is all articles like this encourage. So your targets are the 0.1% of men that manage to become a pro athlete. And you think the scientists are being unrealistic! I re-quote myself for clarity as clearly you are upset to be proven wrong and have missed what was said. I have picked very sexy rugby players as their stats are easy to find. Do not tell me that any of the above are/ were anything less than the ultimate at their sport, very fit, very sexy and drop dead gorgeous. All three have massive followings of women desperate to get into their boxers. Oh and according to this stupid study massively over weight and unattractive. Nuh uh... Time for a reality check... This whole thing about weight and attraction is utter poppy cock. What attracts one person will NOT attract another. Also going by X-rays? Its totally stupid the whole thing. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Imported Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 This is like a study to show that water makes things wet. However, I guess that study is needed because no doubt there are people that think it is subjective that water makes things wet. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Exactly, what I said , can't compare the stats of professional athletes to "regular" men that dont train, exercise, watch their diet on a daily basis like professional sportsmen do! But instead of limiting yourself with a "regular guy" mentality, why not train hard, eat well, and be the best version of yourself that you can be? Getting fit, and having healthy lifestyle choices are attainable goals for every man/woman out there. You don't have to be a professional athlete. I'll give you an example. One of my clients was 50lbs over weight, needed an inhaler to breathe properly, ate crap five times a week, and was extremely sedentary (into Magic The Gathering and other role playing games, etc). Basically the stereotypical office nerd that thought he was hopeless. But now over a year later, he's in the best shape of his life, no longer needs an inhaler, makes healthy eating choices, and also trains hard on his own 3x per week in addition to training with me. So it's something anyone can do. You just need a bit of determination. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Toodaloo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 This is like a study to show that water makes things wet. However, I guess that study is needed because no doubt there are people that think it is subjective that water makes things wet. I think I love you... I have just snorted... Bit annoying as I was eating a chocolate brownie at the time and some of it is now stuck in my nose and now all I can smell is chocolate... Link to post Share on other sites
elaine567 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 People tend to want "different", they want "rare". So when the norm is fat, attractiveness is about thin, when the fashion is about very thin androgynistic muscular women, then there will be a movement towards more curvy "feminine" women, the extreme of that is the more recent fad for huge butt and breast implants Attractiveness in women is dictated by the media, both mainstream and also by the increasing influence of porn. Presenting images as being "attractive", will colour the thoughts and feelings of the population. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
roxan Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Trust me, I know my men, having spent a life time oggling them while they are not looking. What you are saying is balls. Bigger men are sexy. The stats quoted by Pogo are totally unrealistic and way too skinny. If I saw your average Joe that skinny I would think him unhealthy. It is that basic and simple. All this does is make men start to feel as bad about their bodies as women usually do. Its all about stupid articles and press saying we all have to be skin and bone or white or black or long hair short hair blaugh blaugh blaugh to be attractive. Poppy cock and balls. Congratulations gender sterio types are catching up but its just stupid and all it does is cause an unhealthy attitude towards body shape, looks and what is actually healthy... Anorexia is NOT and that is all articles like this encourage. I re-quote myself for clarity as clearly you are upset to be proven wrong and have missed what was said. This whole thing about weight and attraction is utter poppy cock. What attracts one person will NOT attract another. Also going by X-rays? Its totally stupid the whole thing. What I am saying is "balls"?? Sorry but when you say time for a reality check then it's you that need one! I have not discussed or disagreed with what you say that "bigger men are sexy" or what. Your preference are your own, I m not saying anything about that I discussed about the fact that you give the stats of men that are professional athletes as "references" and think that the same height and weight applied to regular men they will look these athletes. Of course, they (Johnny wilkinson and the likes)are going to look fit because they are muscular and exercise every day, it is their job! But your average joe that weight 205 lbs for 5 feet 10 that doesnt exercise or train like these professional rugbymen will look a bit fat Link to post Share on other sites
insert_name Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Trust me, I know my men, having spent a life time oggling them while they are not looking. What you are saying is balls. Bigger men are sexy. The stats quoted by Pogo are totally unrealistic and way too skinny. If I saw your average Joe that skinny I would think him unhealthy. It is that basic and simple. All this does is make men start to feel as bad about their bodies as women usually do. Its all about stupid articles and press saying we all have to be skin and bone or white or black or long hair short hair blaugh blaugh blaugh to be attractive. Poppy cock and balls. Congratulations gender sterio types are catching up but its just stupid and all it does is cause an unhealthy attitude towards body shape, looks and what is actually healthy... Anorexia is NOT and that is all articles like this encourage. I re-quote myself for clarity as clearly you are upset to be proven wrong and have missed what was said. This whole thing about weight and attraction is utter poppy cock. What attracts one person will NOT attract another. Also going by X-rays? Its totally stupid the whole thing. The irony of stating the bolded whilst saying that men under 180lbs are skinny and unhealthy. I had better get to the doctors then or develop a complex about my weight and start crash eating. Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I maintain these studies are about weight distribution rather than BMI. I am technically heavier because I lift - though not fatter and not bigger. My waist is smaller and my butt sticks out more. So now men check out my butt and overall look, not just my boobs. I think having a feminine shape comes first, weight 2nd and you don't know how close to hour glass those women in the study were. 6 Link to post Share on other sites
Toodaloo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 But your average joe that weight 205 lbs for 5 feet 10 that doesnt exercise or train like these professional rugbymen will look a bit fat I know plenty of "average Joes" around that weight who are very very sexy. One of them (Bosses son) is currently beating off women. Its beyond a joke there are so many after him of all ages and sizes. Damn that boy is gorgeous... Tempted to be his sugar mamma myself! Sadly I don't want to put pictures of him or any of the others all over the internet so I am having to use famous people whos' heights and weights we can look up to prove a point. Instead of telling people they have to be a certain way why not just encourage a healthy life style? Articles like this are just beyond stupid and only cause anxiety and stress to those who end up believing their self worth is only there because they don't have blobby bits when they walk through an x ray machine... Utterly ridiculous... Also in the UK many of our "professional" rugby players do it in their spare time around other part time work. The part time work pays the bills the game gives them fulfilment... so no they are not at the gym all day every day although they are doing more I will grant you that. Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 BMI is bulls**t. I mean if you're completely sedentary and never get any form of exercise whatsoever, it's better than nothing for a reference point. However, when you exercise regularly and strength train, it's a terrible idea to go off BMI IMO. The scale is not going to be indicative of progress. It's always better to track progress with measurements and inches lost/gain. You can also get body fat % tests like DEXA scans, hydrostatic (water drunk), etc. Ultimately it's better to eat well to feed your training and keep your body healthy/strong and track progress with a tape measure and how your clothes are fitting. Trying to match up with an outdated system like BMI will only leave you frustrated and spinning your wheels. I maintain these studies are about weight distribution rather than BMI. I am technically heavier because I lift - though not fatter and not bigger. My waist is smaller and my butt sticks out more. So now men check out my butt and overall look, not just my boobs. I think having a feminine shape comes first, weight 2nd and you don't know how close to hour glass those women in the study were. Such a sexy spot on post. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
SammySammy Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting. Women swoon over guys like David Beckham and George Clooney. According to a quick internet search, Beckham is 6' 165 pounds. Clooney is 5' 11" 172 pounds. I wonder if women know what a physically fit man typically weighs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
PrettyEmily77 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I wonder what the take-home is supposed to be here. It's always dangerous to extrapolate from data to mindsets, and that's exactly what people tend to do with this sort of study, which is what's led to the scourge of evo-psych. So...shrug, I guess. Agreed. I tend to find these studies only marginally interesting personally in the sense that they are near enough always partial (the narrow choice of data often gives it away) + there is very little consideration to potential repercussions on health and, well, to common sense - being physically attracted to random people in pics is neither here nor there, really. Link to post Share on other sites
S_A Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 They say the camera adds 10 pounds. So maybe that's why the scans are causing people to choose the skinnier people. Personally, I think Kristen Wiig is scorching hot, but she'd probably look too skinny in person. She'd still be super hot though because she has more than just good looks IMO Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I wonder if women know what a physically fit man typically weighs. This is a good post actually and why weight can be deceptive. According to the BMI, I am "obese" at 5'11" and 220lbs. But I maintain 10-12% body fat year round and have a 34 inch waist. So it really does depend on training regiment. Link to post Share on other sites
insert_name Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting. Women swoon over guys like David Beckham and George Clooney. According to a quick internet search, Beckham is 6' 165 pounds. Clooney is 5' 11" 172 pounds. I wonder if women know what a physically fit man typically weighs. Wow, David Beckham is 'skinny' - who woulda thunk it! Link to post Share on other sites
brothers343 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I'm 6"2 and 205 pounds. I have a BMI of 11.....I love crossfit and yoga, before I got married I was attracted to all shapes and sizes. I like pretty faces. I think t.v and magazines have alot to do with it. People are told that you should be a certain weight through media,magazines,even your own friends are saying crap behind your back. I do believe that the bigger you are the more health issues will come your way but I would date a plus size beautiful lady in a sec. People like what they like. Thankgod that the world is pretty big and you can find your taste right around the corner. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting. Women swoon over guys like David Beckham and George Clooney. According to a quick internet search, Beckham is 6' 165 pounds. Clooney is 5' 11" 172 pounds. I wonder if women know what a physically fit man typically weighs. Doesn't apply to all. Beckham is too skinny for my tastes. I've no idea what Clooney looks like without his shirt on. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamille Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting results. I would have indeed expected healthier BMIs to correlate to higher attractiveness. After all, women are at optimal reproduction at a 23 BMI, right? So this puts to rest all the psychological-evolutionist theories in my opinion. In global times where ideals of beauty are notoriously americanized, would it be safe to say that socialization is part of the explanation for mate preferences? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Toodaloo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Interesting. Women swoon over guys like David Beckham and George Clooney. According to a quick internet search, Beckham is 6' 165 pounds. Clooney is 5' 11" 172 pounds. I wonder if women know what a physically fit man typically weighs. It all depends on their muscle tone etc. Physically fit to do what? Run a marathon, cycle or push/ lift? Same with women. I have NEVER been under 10st. At my "fittest" which was very fit and very strong. I didn't know many who could physically cope with what I did during the day let alone carry on and go to the fitness classes and still be happy to go out for a run or something because they hadn't broken out a sweat yet... I had a 13" waist, 42" hip and 32DD's. I looked like a famine victim in some ways with bone and muscle jutting out and was grossly out of proportion. I weighed around 11 1/2 stone, (well into the obese in BMI) struggled to put on weight as I was so active and every one thought I must be anorexic or bulimic. Totally the other way round now. I am still very curvey, boobs are bigger, hips are slightly larger, waist more proportionate. Some call me fat, some call me sexy, some say I am slim. Personally I don't give a damn. All I care about is being fit and healthy. To hell with what anyone else thinks. All this propaganda does it cause arguments and disagreements. It makes people with issues feel even more insecure and causes a lot more unhappiness than joy. Ironically the unhappiness tends to make people fatter, less healthy and less likely to partake in healthy eating and excersise so congratulations for the stereo type and making people feel worse about themselves... So much for encouragement and engaging people to get fit and healthy... Read Emilia. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
stillafool Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 6. It's hypothesized that lower BMI is considered more attractive as a proxy for younger aged women. What is it for older women or does anyone care? Link to post Share on other sites
Toodaloo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 What is it for older women or does anyone care? I doubt anyone cares as lets face it, according to studies like this no woman can be sexy once she hits 30... By then she is crusty and washed up... Soon women will be considered wash out when they hit 18... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
SammySammy Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) This is a good post actually and why weight can be deceptive. According to the BMI, I am "obese" at 5'11" and 220lbs. But I maintain 10-12% body fat year round and have a 34 inch waist. So it really does depend on training regiment. Agreed. I went to the doctor Thursday and was told I was "a little overweight". Their measurements said I was 5' 10" 169 pounds. I once weighed nearly fifty pounds more that I do now. The time I've spent in the gym shows. I've got a six-pack in my late forties. My goal is to maintain 15% body fat. I don't consider myself to be skinny and I'm definitely NOT overweight. In my opinion .... According to the medical charts, which I checked when I got home, the doctor is right. I'm "a little overweight". smh Edited March 22, 2016 by MidKnightDreams 1 Link to post Share on other sites
xxoo Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 2. Instead, all 3 racial groups rated the lowest BMI and body fat % to be the most attractive. This fell around a BMI of 19 and body fat of 20%. For example, that is a woman around 5'1 and 100 lbs, or 5'6 and 120 lbs. It would be a sad thing if a woman or man cared more about what "groups" of people find attractive than what the individual and her/his partner find attractive. Thank goodness we aren't all alike! 6 Link to post Share on other sites
No_Go Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Would you day the same if the 'attractive' category happen to coincide with your BMI and /or age group? I'm asking because you seem to base your conclusions on the results, not the experimental design / implementation. I doubt anyone cares as lets face it, according to studies like this no woman can be sexy once she hits 30... By then she is crusty and washed up... Soon women will be considered wash out when they hit 18... Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts