The dad bod had a good run. A new study suggests its cultural moment might be winding down, at least when it comes to raw physical attraction.
Research conducted by adult entertainment platform SoloFun asked more than 2,000 adults to evaluate side-by-side body-fat comparison images and pick the physiques they found most attractive. The results were fairly decisive. For men, a lean, athletic build with around 15% body fat is won by a wide margin—more like naturally fit rather than aggressively muscular. Think Paul Mescal or Jacob Elordi, not a Men’s Health cover from 2003. The 20% body fat category came in second, followed by 25%, with the heaviest option at 35% landing in last place.
For women, the ideal skewed in a different direction entirely. People attracted to women overwhelmingly favored a softer, curvier physique around 30% body fat—closer to Ashley Graham or Beyoncé than the ultra-lean Instagram aesthetic that’s dominated social media for the past decade. A body fat level of 25% came in second, while the highest category, 45%, ranked last.
A New Study Found the Most Attractive Body Types for Men and Women
One caveat worth mentioning: the same body fat percentage looks completely different depending on the person. Fifteen percent body fat on a man might look super athletic; on a woman, it can look malnourished, with hormonal consequences to match. Thirty percent on a woman can look healthy and curvy. On a man, he might appear overweight.
The findings also complicate the ongoing cultural rehabilitation of the dad bod. Previous research has been more forgiving—a 2024 Dating.com report found nearly 75% of singles said they were fans of a look that’s “not super chiseled,” and a Planet Fitness poll found 78% of women associated softer male builds with confidence. But those studies were measuring something slightly different. Likeability and attraction aren’t always the same thing, and the SoloFun data makes that gap clear. Softer male builds scored well on personality traits like being affectionate and nurturing, and were rated as better long-term partner material. They just didn’t win on physical attraction.
So the dad bod survives, but in a supporting role. Apparently, it’s great for relationships and terrible for Hinge.
The post The ‘Perfect’ Male and Female Bodies Have Been Revealed, and It’s Bad News for Dad Bods appeared first on VICE.
