Leonardo DiCaprio & Zac Efron are just the latest stars to rock a dad bod – here’s why more women are going wild for it
HOLLYWOOD'S leading men may be associated with rock-hard abs and ripped physiques – but some of the biggest stars are now rocking dad bods instead.
And with thousands of us hanging on to a few more pounds after lockdown, the look is luckily as sexy as it's ever been.
Nearly four in five men and women think a dad bod is a sign of a man who's confident in his own skin, according to a recent Planet Fitness poll.
Furthermore, 65 per cent say dad bods are attractive, while 61 per cent said men with dad bods are sexy, up ten per cent on 2018.
But why are women increasingly into the low maintenance look?
“One of the main reasons why the dad bod has risen in popularity is purely because it exudes confidence," says Almara Abgarian, a sex journalist and dating expert at .
"While we all love a sculpted guy, there is just something about the dad bod that makes boys seem more human, natural, and attractive."
She also mentioned dad bods being less intimidating and better for cuddling as points in the physique's favour.
And she thought another bonus was that know what you're getting into long term, as you can already see what his body will look like after decades in a relationship.
Whereas you don't know what your gym-mad fella will look like if his workout consistency drops if, say, you have kids together.
Irresistible in online dating
In the years since the term became widely known, it appears the dad bod is now more popular than ever.
So many A-listers have been spotted proudly displaying their dad bods by the beach.
Earlier this year, 45-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio was snapped enjoying the sun with his Argentine model girlfriend Camila Morrone, 23.
And this month, Hangover star Bradley Cooper went shirtless by the sea on a day out with actor Jennifer Garner.
But it's not just movie stars who are opting for the dad bod look.
Average blokes with dad bods have been found to get more romantic matches online too, according to dating app Inner Circle.
It's thought part of the reason so many women swipe right on dad bods is because they'll make better dates, and more attentive partners.
"There is something quite liberating about being attracted to a man who doesn’t feel like he needs to be in the gym 24/7 as sometimes we all just want to go out for food without worrying about maintaining a particular lifestyle,"; says success coach and life strategist .
"The dad bod is also attractive because if the guy is fun and doesn’t take his life too seriously, it's an indication that he has room in his life for other things, rather than just gym and protein.
"Being completely honest, women want the attention, rather than the attention going to the weights rack.”
'Be our big, cuddly heroes'
Others think part of the attraction to dad bods is to do with association of them being older and more, well, dad-like.
According to one 2018 study of online dating behaviour of 186,000 straight men and women published in Science Advances, women's desirability starts high at age 18, and then falls throughout their lifetime.
Whereas men's desirability peaks in midlife, between the ages of 40 and 50.
Some people think women's attraction to older men might partly explain the dad bod's appeal.
"Part of it is just our primal nature telling us to look for a man who has decent sperm and would make a good father, but not all men with dad bods actually have kids, so there's more to it," says sex writer Almara Abgarian.
"Most dad bod men are older too, and there is a certain comfort in that – we feel like they will take us into their big arms and be our big, cuddly heroes.
“As a whole, society is also becoming more accepting of different body shapes, which definitely plays a part."
Of course, not all women are into older men, with some citing balding and bulging bellies as big turn-offs for them.
But for many, not having to compete with a physically perfect partner can be a big plus, and a welcome break from the stress of seeing flawless bodies on social media.
The demand for perfection on women and girls is so intense that children as young as four report being body-obsessed and worrying about how they look.
"We all compare ourselves to Instagram, models and influencers and we aim to achieve the perfection in the way that we look," Claire-Louise says.
"Women are attracted to dad bods because it is all about imperfection and normalising.
"Having a dad bod shows that guy is just normal."
Zoe Clews, Relationship Hypnotherapist and founder of Feel Good Rooms at Zoe Clews & Associates, agrees that social media could be playing a part in the appeal of the appeal of dad bods.
"A 30-second look at Instagram reveals a panorama of so many so-called perfect bodies – both male and female – that sometimes it’s like watching a never-ending flock of parading peacocks and peahens," Zoe tells Sun Online.
"We’re all bombarded by images that portray supposed perfection – pictures of the perfect shape that we’re supposed to aspire or be attracted to – yet what most women really want is to feel more comfortable and less alienated.
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"And most of the time, women end up being a hell of a lot happier for finding someone with a dad bod, because in the end, humans are attracted to what’s familiar, and – newsflash! – most women didn’t grow up with a dad sporting pecs the size of a boulder.
"Anyway, what woman wants a man with a stronger beauty regime than they have themselves?!"