Men and women with higher levels of body fat are better parents compared to those who are skinnier, says a study published in Evolutionary Psychological Science (December). Researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi surveyed 831 participants who were asked to view four male and four female computer-generated bodies that were dimensionally varied. After viewing each body, participants answered 36 questions about the person’s perceived parental qualities, such as: “This person seems like they would help their child with homework” and “This person thinks kids are annoying.”

The researchers found that, for both male and female bodies, low body fat was associated with lower parenting capability; women are especially likely to associate high levels of female body fat with positive parenting. “People associate greater body fat composition with more positive and less negative parenting abilities. Thus, what we find sexy in a mate seems to somewhat differ from what we associate with a good parent,” says Donald Sacco, an associate professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and director of the Evolutionary Social Psychology Lab.

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