The “Perfect” Body Type Has Apparently Changed 😳💪… And the Dad Bod Might Be Cooked
A new study says the “perfect” body types for men and women may have changed 😳💪 According to survey and dating app data, athletic builds are trending for men while curves remain popular for women. But what happened to the beloved dad bod? 🍔😂
5/20/20261 min read
Uh oh fellas… the internet may have turned on the dad bod 😭
A new report looked at surveys and dating app data to figure out the most desired body types right now—and the results are definitely getting people talking online 👀
💪 The “ideal” male body?
According to the study, the “perfect” male physique was:
👉 Around 15% body fat
Which basically means:
Lean
Athletic
Defined muscles
“Looks good in a fitted T-shirt” territory 😂
Women in the study were shown side-by-side body comparisons and apparently picked the more athletic builds most often.
👀 But women’s preferences were VERY different
Interestingly, the “ideal” female body wasn’t the thinnest option.
The study found the most preferred female physique was:
👉 Around 30% body fat
With 25% also ranking highly.
Meanwhile, the super-thin 10% option ranked lower.
So according to the data:✨ Curves are IN.
🤔 Why do people prefer muscular guys?
Experts say there are a few reasons people tend to associate muscular physiques with things like:
Strength 💪
Health 🏃
Protection 🛡️
Confidence 😎
Basically… caveman brain might still be undefeated 😂
🍔 But wait… didn’t people LOVE dad bods recently?
That’s the funny part.
Just a couple years ago, a report from Dating.com found nearly 75% of singles said they liked the “dad bod.”
And another poll from Planet Fitness found:
78% of women associated dad bods with confidence 😌
Nearly half said a softer stomach was “the new six-pack” 🍕
So honestly… people may just like confidence more than anything.
😂 The internet’s reaction
Online reactions have basically been:
Gym bros: “WE’RE SO BACK” 🏋️
Dad bod community: “This study is fake news” 🍔😂
🧠 Final thought
At the end of the day, trends change constantly.
One year it’s six-packs. The next year it’s dad bods. The year after that somebody’s calling crocs attractive again 😭
So maybe the real “perfect body” is just being healthy and confident in your own skin ✨