Six-packs, a V-shaped torso, pecs that pop: it seems that - possibly due to the rise of social media and the ease in which we're now able to flaunt what we've got - every man and his dog are chasing that perfect body.
A ripped, muscular physique - preferably under 10 per cent body fat - is considered the new healthy. But is a Herculean-like body really as good for you as recent gym culture has lead us to believe?
Perhaps. But there is another type of physique which backed by science stands out from the pack. And that physique is...
THE DAD BOD!
According to a study out of Yale University, pudgy fathers carrying a bit of excess baggage not only live longer and are better at passing on their genes compared to skinny guys, but women also actually consider the dad bod to be the most attractive physique for men.
Not quite sure what we're referring to when we say 'dad bod'? Urban Dictionary defines it as:
"A guy who has kids and was once in shape and still has guns that can crush beer cans but also with a belly that says I drank those beers and I can eat 6 slices of pizza in one seating."
The study found that men with dad bods are less likely to suffer from heart attacks as well as prostate cancer despite carrying a few extra kilos. While putting on weight as a middle age man may not fit today's ideal of the perfect physique, Richard Bribiescas, professor of anthropology and deputy provost at Yale University, says it actually prolongs live and strengthens your immune system.
“Macho makes you sick,” said Prof Bribiescas. “The Hollywood image of the swaggering, dashing man dispatching bad guys and carrying the day conjures up a perception of indestructibility.
“While men are on average larger and physically stronger than women, men have a considerable weakness.
“We have a harder time fighting off infections and illness compared with women, and… men simply do not take care of themselves.
“This has a significant negative impact on the pace at which men age.”
So as Summer approaches and you're worried you're carrying too much cushion, remember this: girls think you're sexy and you'll live longer than those aesthetic suckers.
