Women are genetically predisposed to desire men with larger muscles, according to an American study.
Scientists at the University of California Los Angeles found that chiselled young men were more likely to attract more sexual partners than their weedier peers, concluding that muscularity was a sign of virility
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Previous research has hinted that women prefer higher earners, but this latest study provides evidence that physical characteristics are more immediately appealing.
One hundred male undergraduates were surveyed about their sexual histories. Stronger men were found to be more than twice as likely to have slept with at least three partners.
A similar number of women were asked to assess silhouettes of various male bodies, ranging from muscular to skinny, revealing a predilection for toned torsos. In terms of longer term commitment, however, women were warier of larger men and tended to pick regular guys.
"On the one hand, it makes them more sexy to women. On the other hand, it makes women more suspicious about their romantic intentions," explained study author David Frederick.
The study has been published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
