Best Female Figure Not an Hourglass

www.livescience.com ^

[Lucky9teen]

An imperfect body might be just what the doctor ordered for women and key to their economic success, an anthropologist now says.

While pop culture seems to worship the hourglass figure for females, with a tiny waist, big boobs and curvy hips à la Marilyn Monroe, this may not be optimal, says Elizabeth Cashdan of the University of Utah.

That's because the hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist.

So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources and otherwise bring home the bacon, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure, Cashdan hypothesizes in the December issue of the journal Current Anthropology.

Curve crazy

Until now, scientists (and apparently Western society) thought a curvy figure trumped other body shapes. The idea was based on results from medical studies that suggested a curvy waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7 or lower (meaning the waist is significantly narrower than the hips) is associated with higher fertility and lower rates of chronic disease.

In addition, past research has revealed that men prefer a ratio of 0.7 or lower when looking for a mate. The preference makes perfect sense, according to evolutionary psychologists, because the low ratio is a reliable signal of a healthy, fertile woman. Along those lines, Playboy centerfolds tend to have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.68, Cashdan found.

However, women around the world tend to have larger waist-to-hip ratios (more cylindrical than hourglass-shaped) than is considered optimal by these medical and social standards.

[Lucky9teen]

I.E., Apples vs. Pears

[Perdogg]

10-7-10

[Mamzelle]

And the best male figure is an upended triangle, wide across the shoulders, narrow at the waist and hips.

[Jeff Chandler]

women around the world tend to have larger waist-to-hip ratios

Ain't that the truth!

[Perdogg]

10-8-10 according to “experts”

[Red Badger]

[Enterprise]

"Every morning at the mine you could see him arrive
He stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-five
Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip
Everybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big John"

[Lucky9teen]

[Uri’el-2012]

Classical Greek statues tend to be 34-25-36

[day10]

Well, we’ll definitey need abundant photographic evidence posted to ogle, er, look over and decide what actually is the best female figure.

This could be a good thread.......

[Blueflag]

re: “And the best male figure is an upended triangle, wide across the shoulders, narrow at the waist and hips.”

hmmm, I’m thinking a Y is better than a V for the best male figure ...

wink wink

[JRandomFreeper]

The best female figure is mid-6 figures with stock options.

/johnny

[SouthTexas]

Classical Greek statues tend to be 34-25-36

BS--Before silicone.

[Lucky9teen]

Could be...?

[djf]

I’ve always preferred women who gave hips.

I mean HIPS not HAMS!!!

[Red Badger]

And the best male figure is an upended triangle, wide across the shoulders, narrow at the waist and hips.

Kinda like this guy?...........

[ClearCase_guy]

Well, I hope no one posts a picture of Elizabeth Cashdan of the University of Utah. I suspect that she lacks an hourglass figure.

[swain_forkbeard]

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

[Lucky9teen]

Actually, most of the stereotype for what a "good body" is, has women WAY TOO skinny...

[Blueflag]

Geesh.

How does a person like that maintain personal sanitation?