1
|
Lin WY. Associations of five obesity indicators with cognitive performance in 30,697 Taiwan Biobank participants. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:839. [PMID: 36344931 PMCID: PMC9641815 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03457-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Obesity adversely influences the central nervous system and cognitive functions. However, the relationship between various obesity indicators and cognitive performance remains controversial. It is unclear which obesity indicator is more relevant to cognitive impairment. Methods The Taiwan Biobank (TWB) administered the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to 30,697 participants (12,094 males and 18,603 females) aged 60 to 70 years. A total of 3,454 (11.25%) individuals with MMSE < = 24 were classified as having poor cognitive performance. This cross-sectional study investigates the associations of five obesity indicators with cognitive performance. Five separate logistic regression models were fitted for males and another five for females. Covariates adjusted in all models included age, smoking status, drinking status, regular exercise, chronic disease status (diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, heart diseases, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease), depression status, blood pressure level, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, and educational attainment. The five obesity indicators included body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR). Results Abdominal obesity defined by WHR was significantly associated with poor cognitive performance. Male WHR > = 0.90 had a higher risk of poor cognitive performance than male WHR < 0.90 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.233; p = 0.007); female WHR > = 0.85 had an increased risk of poor cognitive performance compared with female WHR < 0.85 (OR = 1.221; p = 3.9E-4). HC and general obesity (defined by BMI and BFP) were not significantly associated with cognitive performance. Conclusion The results consistently agreed that preventing abdominal obesity is associated with better cognitive performance in both males and females. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03457-x.
Collapse
|
2
|
Dixson BJW. Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Human Appearance Enhancements. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:49-55. [PMID: 33721143 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-01946-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby J W Dixson
- School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Petrie, QLD, Australia.
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dinsdale N, Nepomnaschy P, Crespi B. The evolutionary biology of endometriosis. EVOLUTION MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 9:174-191. [PMID: 33854783 PMCID: PMC8030264 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We provide the first analysis and synthesis of the evolutionary and mechanistic bases for risk of endometriosis in humans, structured around Niko Tinbergen's four questions about phenotypes: phylogenetic history, development, mechanism and adaptive significance. Endometriosis, which is characterized by the proliferation of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus, has its phylogenetic roots in the evolution of three causally linked traits: (1) highly invasive placentation, (2) spontaneous rather than implantation-driven endometrial decidualization and (3) frequent extensive estrogen-driven endometrial proliferation and inflammation, followed by heavy menstrual bleeding. Endometriosis is potentiated by these traits and appears to be driven, proximately, by relatively low levels of prenatal and postnatal testosterone. Testosterone affects the developing hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, and at low levels, it can result in an altered trajectory of reproductive and physiological phenotypes that in extreme cases can mediate the symptoms of endometriosis. Polycystic ovary syndrome, by contrast, is known from previous work to be caused primarily by high prenatal and postnatal testosterone, and it demonstrates a set of phenotypes opposite to those found in endometriosis. The hypothesis that endometriosis risk is driven by low prenatal testosterone, and involves extreme expression of some reproductive phenotypes, is supported by a suite of evidence from genetics, development, endocrinology, morphology and life history. The hypothesis also provides insights into why these two diametric, fitness-reducing disorders are maintained at such high frequencies in human populations. Finally, the hypotheses described and evaluated here lead to numerous testable predictions and have direct implications for the treatment and study of endometriosis. Lay summary: Endometriosis is caused by endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. We explain why and how humans are vulnerable to this disease, and new perspectives on understanding and treating it. Endometriosis shows evidence of being caused in part by relatively low testosterone during fetal development, that 'programs' female reproductive development. By contrast, polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with relatively high testosterone in prenatal development. These two disorders can thus be seen as 'opposite' to one another in their major causes and correlates. Important new insights regarding diagnosis, study and treatment of endometriosis follow from these considerations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Dinsdale
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Pablo Nepomnaschy
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pazhoohi F, Macedo AF, Doyle JF, Arantes J. Waist-to-Hip Ratio as Supernormal Stimuli: Effect of Contrapposto Pose and Viewing Angle. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:837-847. [PMID: 31214904 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01486-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In women, the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is an indicator of attractiveness, health, youthfulness, and reproductive potential. In the current study, we hypothesized that viewing angle and body postures influence the attractiveness of these forms based on the view dependency of WHR stimuli (vdWHR). Using eye tracking, we quantified the number of fixations and dwell time on 3D images of a female avatar in two different poses (standing and contrapposto) from eight viewing angles incrementing in 45 degrees of rotation. A total of 68 heterosexual individuals (25 men and 43 women) participated in the study. Results showed that the contrapposto pose was perceived as more attractive than the standing pose and that lower vdWHR sides of the stimuli attracted more first fixation, total fixations, and dwell time. Overall, the results supported that WHR is view-dependent and vdWHRs lower than optimal WHRs are supernormal stimuli that may generate peak shifts in responding. Results are discussed in terms of the attractiveness of women's movements (gaits and dance) and augmented artistic presentations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Basic Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, 4710 - 057, Braga, Portugal.
| | - Antonio F Macedo
- Vision Rehabilitation Laboratory, Department and Centre of Physics, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Department of Medicine and Optometry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | | | - Joana Arantes
- Department of Basic Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, 4710 - 057, Braga, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bovet J. Evolutionary Theories and Men's Preferences for Women's Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Which Hypotheses Remain? A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1221. [PMID: 31244708 PMCID: PMC6563790 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last 25 years, a large amount of research has been dedicated to identifying men's preferences for women's physical features, and the evolutionary benefits associated with such preferences. Today, this area of research generates substantial controversy and criticism. I argue that part of the crisis is due to inaccuracies in the evolutionary hypotheses used in the field. For this review, I focus on the extensive literature regarding men's adaptive preferences for women's waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), which has become a classic example of the just-so storytelling contributing to the general mistrust toward evolutionary explanations of human behavior. The issues in this literature originate in the vagueness and incompleteness of the theorizing of the evolutionary mechanisms leading to mate preferences. Authors seem to have rushed into testing and debating the effects of WHR on women's attractiveness under various conditions and using different stimuli, without first establishing (a) clear definitions of the central evolution concepts (e.g., female mate value is often reduced to an imprecise concept of "health-and-fertility"), and (b) a complete overview of the distinct evolutionary paths potentially at work (e.g., focusing on fecundability while omitting descendants' quality). Unsound theoretical foundations will lead to imprecise predictions which cannot properly be tested, thus ultimately resulting in the premature rejection of an evolutionary explanation to human mate preferences. This paper provides the first comprehensive review of the existing hypotheses on why men's preferences for a certain WHR in women might be adaptive, as well as an analysis of the theoretical credibility of these hypotheses. By dissecting the evolutionary reasoning behind each hypothesis, I show which hypotheses are plausible and which are unfit to account for men's preferences for female WHR. Moreover, the most cited hypotheses (e.g., WHR as a cue of health or fecundity) are found to not necessarily be the ones with the strongest theoretical support, and some promising hypotheses (e.g., WHR as a cue of parity or current pregnancy) have seemingly been mostly overlooked. Finally, I suggest some directions for future studies on human mate choice, to move this evolutionary psychology literature toward a stronger theoretical foundation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Bovet
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shirazi TN, Self H, Dawood K, Rosenfield KA, Penke L, Carré JM, Ortiz T, Puts DA. Hormonal predictors of women's sexual motivation. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
7
|
Marczak M, Misiak M, Sorokowska A, Sorokowski P. No sex difference in digit ratios (2D:4D) in the traditional Yali of Papua and its meaning for the previous hypotheses on the inter-populational variability in 2D:4D. Am J Hum Biol 2017; 30. [PMID: 29134747 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The ratio between the 2nd and 4th digit (2D:4D) is considered to be a sexually dimorphic trait in humans, with males having on average lower 2D:4D values than females. However, significant inter- and intra-sexual differences in digit ratios across populations have been reported. In order to further explore factors influencing the variability of 2D:4D, we performed a study among the Yali, a traditional population from Papua. METHODS We measured digit ratios of 79 adults (47 males) from the traditional Yali society, a polygamous group who inhabit a harsh high-mountain environment almost directly on the equator. RESULTS Statistical analysis of the data show no significant inter-sexual difference in digit ratios in our sample. CONCLUSIONS We discuss the results in light of various factors that putatively shape the differences in digit ratios. We conclude that the results of our study contribute to the existing evidence suggesting that digit ratio might not be universally sexually dimorphic in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michalina Marczak
- University of Wroclaw, Institute of Psychology, ul. Dawida, Wroclaw, 50-527, Poland
| | - Michał Misiak
- University of Wroclaw, Institute of Psychology, ul. Dawida, Wroclaw, 50-527, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- University of Wroclaw, Institute of Psychology, ul. Dawida, Wroclaw, 50-527, Poland
| | - Piotr Sorokowski
- University of Wroclaw, Institute of Psychology, ul. Dawida, Wroclaw, 50-527, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Smith KM, Olkhov YM, Puts DA, Apicella CL. Hadza Men With Lower Voice Pitch Have a Better Hunting Reputation. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 15:1474704917740466. [PMID: 29179581 PMCID: PMC10481060 DOI: 10.1177/1474704917740466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research with hunter-gatherers has found that women perceive men with voices manipulated to be lower in pitch to be better hunters, and men perceive women with lower pitch to be better gatherers. Here, we test if actual voice pitch is associated with hunting and gathering reputations in men and women, respectively. We find that voice pitch does relate to foraging reputation in men, but not in women, with better hunters having a lower voice pitch. In addition, we find that the previously documented relationship between voice pitch and reproductive success no longer holds when controlling for hunting reputation, but hunting reputation remains a significant predictor of reproductive success when controlling for voice pitch. This raises the possibility that voice pitch is being selected for in hunter-gatherers because of the relationship between voice pitch and hunting reputation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David A. Puts
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
|
10
|
Butovskaya M, Sorokowska A, Karwowski M, Sabiniewicz A, Fedenok J, Dronova D, Negasheva M, Selivanova E, Sorokowski P. Waist-to-hip ratio, body-mass index, age and number of children in seven traditional societies. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1622. [PMID: 28487573 PMCID: PMC5431669 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01916-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that the preference for low WHRs evolved because low WHR provided a cue to female reproductive status and health, and therefore to her reproductive value. The present study aimed to test whether WHR might indeed be a reliable cue to female reproductive history (with lower WHRs indicating lower number of children). Previous studies showed such a relationship for modern and industrialized populations, but it has not been investigated in natural fertility, indigenous, more energy constrained populations facing greater trade-offs in energy allocation than do modern societies. Our sample comprised 925 women aged 13 to 95 years from seven non-industrial societies including tribes from Sub-Saharan Africa (Hadza, Datoga, and Isanzu), Western Siberia (Ob Ugric people: Khanty and Mansi), South America (Tsimane) and South Asia (Minahasans and Sangirese). We demonstrated a culturally stable, significant relationship between number of children and WHR among women, controlling for BMI and age. Based on these data, we suggest that WHR is a reliable cue to female reproductive history, and we discuss our results in the context of previous studies indicating usefulness of WHR as an indicator of health and fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Butovskaya
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Russian State University for Humanities, Moscow, Russia.,Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.,Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - M Karwowski
- Creative Education Lab, Academy of Special Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A Sabiniewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - J Fedenok
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - D Dronova
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - P Sorokowski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Motta-Mena NV, Puts DA. Endocrinology of human female sexuality, mating, and reproductive behavior. Horm Behav 2017; 91:19-35. [PMID: 27866819 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Hormones orchestrate and coordinate human female sexual development, sexuality, and reproduction in relation to three types of phenotypic changes: life history transitions such as puberty and childbirth, responses to contextual factors such as caloric intake and stress, and cyclical patterns such as the ovulatory cycle. Here, we review the endocrinology underlying women's reproductive phenotypes, including sexual orientation and gender identity, mate preferences, competition for mates, sex drive, and maternal behavior. We highlight distinctive aspects of women's sexuality such as the possession of sexual ornaments, relatively cryptic fertile windows, extended sexual behavior across the ovulatory cycle, and a period of midlife reproductive senescence-and we focus on how hormonal mechanisms were shaped by selection to produce adaptive outcomes. We conclude with suggestions for future research to elucidate how hormonal mechanisms subserve women's reproductive phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie V Motta-Mena
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Human Evolution and Diversity, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802¸ United States.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Arazi H, Eghbali E, Saeedi T, Moghadam R. The Relationship of Physical Activity and Anthropometric and Physiological Characteristics to Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women. J Clin Densitom 2016; 19:382-8. [PMID: 26922458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocd.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of physical activity and anthropometric and physiological characteristics to bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. Ninety-seven postmenopausal women with an average age of 50.71 ± 6.86 yr were selected to participate in this study. After completing consent forms and the questionnaire on physical activity, the amounts of calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in participants' blood were measured by blood tests. The BMDs of the subjects in the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and hip were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device and the results were recorded. Also, anthropometric characteristics including height, weight, body fat percentage, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), digit ratio (2D:4D), skeletal muscle mass index, hand and calf circumferences and physiological parameters, including handgrip strength, quadriceps isotonic extension strength and balance of the subjects, were measured. The results showed that the 2D:4D ratio and skeletal muscle mass index had a significantly positive relationship with BMD of the lumbar spine (p ≤ 0.05) and the hip (p ≤ 0.05). Also, there was a negative relationship between the BMD of lumbar spine and hip and WHR (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, there was a positive relationship between the calf circumferences and lumbar spine BMD (p ≤ 0.05). Contrary to this, there was no significant relationship between the calf circumference and the hip BMD, and between hand circumference with lumbar spine and hip BMD (p > 0.05). Results of physiological indices showed a significant positive relationship between physical activity, handgrip strength, quadriceps isotonic extension strength, standing on 1 foot with the lumbar spine and hip BMD (p ≤ 0.05). But the relationship was not observed between BMD and the ability to squat down on the floor (p > 0.05). Based on these results, it seemed that we can use some physiological and anthropometric indices that are important determinants of BMD and risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Arazi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Eghbali
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | - Tahmineh Saeedi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lassek WD, Gaulin SJC. What Makes Jessica Rabbit Sexy? Contrasting Roles of Waist and Hip Size. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 14:1474704916643459. [PMCID: PMC10481102 DOI: 10.1177/1474704916643459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
While waist/hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) have been the most studied putative determinants of female bodily attractiveness, BMI is not directly observable, and few studies have considered the independent roles of waist and hip size. The range of attractiveness in many studies is also quite limited, with none of the stimuli rated as highly attractive. To explore the relationships of these anthropometric parameters with attractiveness across a much broader spectrum of attractiveness, we employ three quite different samples: a large sample of college women, a larger sample of Playboy Playmates of the Month than that has been previously examined, and a large pool of imaginary women (e.g., cartoon, video game, graphic novel characters) chosen as the “most attractive” by university students. Within-sample and between-sample comparisons agree in indicating that waist size is the key determinant of female bodily attractiveness and accounts for the relationship of both BMI and WHR with attractiveness, with between-sample effect sizes of 2.4–3.2. In contrast, hip size is much more similar across attractiveness groups and is unrelated to attractiveness when BMI or waist size is controlled.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William D. Lassek
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven J. C. Gaulin
- Department of Anthropology, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pathogen disgust sensitivity and resource scarcity are associated with mate preference for different waist-to-hip ratios, shoulder-to-hip ratios, and body mass index. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
15
|
Apicella CL, Tobolsky VA, Marlowe FW, Miller KW. Hadza hunter-gatherer men do not have more masculine digit ratios (2D:4D). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 159:223-32. [PMID: 26354727 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 08/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The ratio between the length of the second and the length of the fourth digit (2D:4D) is sexually dimorphic such that males of many species possess a lower ratio than females, particularly in the right hand. Still, men and women often exhibit overlapping 2D:4D ranges and the ratio is highly variable between populations. In order to further explore populational variability, we chose to analyze 2D:4D in the Hadza, a population of hunter-gatherers living in Tanzania. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were collected separately by two researchers over the course of three years (1998, 2001, 2006) from 152 adult participants (male: n = 76, female: n = 76). Independent samples t-tests were used to explore sex differences, paired samples t-tests were used to explore directional effects within each sex, and linear regression and one-way ANOVA were used to test possible age effects. RESULTS In none of the years, or pooled (n = 152), did we find evidence that adult men have a lower 2D:4D than adult women. If anything, the data suggest that women in this population have a significantly lower right hand 2D:4D than men (P < 0.001, d = 0.57). In contrast, left hand 2D:4D did not exhibit a sex difference (P = 0.862, d = 0.03). DISCUSSION These findings challenge the current view that lower 2D:4D in men is a uniform characteristic of our species. Cross-populational variance in 2D:4D may be related to known patterns of hormonal variation resulting from both genetic and environmental mechanisms, though this relationship merits further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Coren L Apicella
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Victoria A Tobolsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104.,Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138
| | - Frank W Marlowe
- Division of Biological Anthropology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, CB2 3QG, UK
| | - Kathleen W Miller
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dixson BJ, Duncan M, Dixson AF. The Role of Breast Size and Areolar Pigmentation in Perceptions of Women's Sexual Attractiveness, Reproductive Health, Sexual Maturity, Maternal Nurturing Abilities, and Age. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2015; 44:1685-95. [PMID: 25828990 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-015-0516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Women's breast morphology is thought to have evolved via sexual selection as a signal of maturity, health, and fecundity. While research demonstrates that breast morphology is important in men's judgments of women's attractiveness, it remains to be determined how perceptions might differ when considering a larger suite of mate relevant attributes. Here, we tested how variation in breast size and areolar pigmentation affected perceptions of women's sexual attractiveness, reproductive health, sexual maturity, maternal nurturing abilities, and age. Participants (100 men; 100 women) rated images of female torsos modeled to vary in breast size (very small, small, medium, and large) and areolar pigmentation (light, medium, and dark) for each of the five attributes listed above. Sexual attractiveness ratings increased linearly with breast size, but large breasts were not judged to be significantly more attractive than medium-sized breasts. Small and medium-sized breasts were rated as most attractive if they included light or medium colored areolae, whereas large breasts were more attractive if they had medium or dark areolae. Ratings for perceived age, sexual maturity, and nurturing ability also increased with breast size. Darkening the areolae reduced ratings of the reproductive health of medium and small breasts, whereas it increased ratings for large breasts. There were no significant sex differences in ratings of any of the perceptual measures. These results demonstrate that breast size and areolar pigmentation interact to determine ratings for a suite of sociosexual attributes, each of which may be relevant to mate choice in men and intra-sexual competition in women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby J Dixson
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia,
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
The Curse of Curves: Sex Differences in the Associations Between Body Shape and Pain Expression. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2015; 26:235-54. [PMID: 26047668 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-015-9232-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the associations between objective and subjective measurements and impressions of body shape and cold pressor pain reporting in healthy adults. On the basis of sexual selection theory (SST), we hypothesized that body characteristics that are universally preferred by the opposite sex-specifically, lower waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) in women and higher shoulder-to-hip ratios (SHR) in men-and characteristics (e.g., proportion of body fat in women) that infer attractiveness differently across cultures will correspond to higher experimental pain reporting in women and lower pain reporting in males. A convenience sample of young adults (n = 96, 58 females, 18-24 years; mean age = 19.4) was measured for body mass index (BMI), WHR, SHR, and subjective body impressions (SBI), along with cold pressor pain reporting. The findings showed that BMI was positively associated with WHR and less-positive SBI in both sexes. Consistent with SST, however, only BMI and WHR predicted variability in pain expression in women, whereas only SHR predicted variability in men. Subjective body impressions were positively associated with SHR among males and unrelated to WHR among females, yet only females showed a positive association between SBI and higher pain reporting. The findings suggest that sexually selected physical characteristics (WHR and SHR) and culturally influenced somatic (BMI) and psychological (SBI) indicators of attractiveness correspond with variability in pain reporting, potentially reflecting the general tendency for people to express clusters of sexually selected and culturally influenced traits that may include differential pain perception.
Collapse
|
18
|
Klasios J. The evolutionary psychology of human mating: a response to Buller's critique. STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2014; 47 Pt A:1-11. [PMID: 24927270 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, I critique arguments made by philosopher David Buller against central evolutionary-psychological explanations of human mating. Specifically, I aim to rebut his criticisms of Evolutionary Psychology regarding (1) women's long-term mating preferences for high-status men; (2) the evolutionary rationale behind men's provisioning of women; (3) men's mating preferences for young women; (4) women's adaptation for extra-pair sex; (5) the sex-differentiated evolutionary theory of human jealousy; and (6) the notion of mate value. In sum, I aim to demonstrate that Buller's arguments contra Evolutionary Psychologists are left wanting.
Collapse
|
19
|
Kościński K. Assessment of waist-to-hip ratio attractiveness in women: an anthropometric analysis of digital silhouettes. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2014; 43:989-97. [PMID: 23975738 PMCID: PMC4050298 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-013-0166-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2012] [Revised: 01/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The low proportion of waist to hip size in females is a unique and adaptive human feature. In contemporary human populations, the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is negatively associated with women's health, fecundity, and cognitive ability. It is, therefore, hypothesized that men will prefer women with low WHR. Although this prediction is supported by many studies, considerable disagreement persists about which WHR values are the most attractive and the importance of WHR for attractiveness of the female body. Unfortunately, the methods applied thus far are flawed in several ways. In the present study, we investigated male preferences for female WHR using a high precision assessment procedure and digitally manufactured, high quality, anthropometrically informed stimuli which were disentangled from body mass covariation. Forty men were requested to choose the most attractive silhouette consecutively from six series (2 levels of realism × 3 levels of body mass), each consisting of 26 female images that varied in WHR (from .60 to .85 by .01). Substantial inter-individual variation in the choices made was observed. Nevertheless, low and average WHR values were chosen more frequently than above-average values or values below the normal variation of the trait. This preference pattern mirrors the relationship between WHR and mate value, suggesting that the preferences are adaptive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Kościński
- Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznan, Poland,
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Evaluating Evidence of Mate Preference Adaptations: How Do We Really Know What Homo sapiens sapiens Really Want? EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0314-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
|
21
|
Intrasexual Competition and Other Theories of Eating Restriction. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0314-6_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
|
22
|
Kościński K. Attractiveness of women’s body: body mass index, waist–hip ratio, and their relative importance. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
23
|
Ferguson CJ, Winegard B, Winegard BM. Who is The Fairest One of All? How Evolution Guides Peer and Media Influences on Female Body Dissatisfaction. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1037/a0022607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Much attention has focused on the influence of media images of thin women on body dissatisfaction among female viewers. Disagreement exists regarding the nature of media influences, with meta-analytic results suggesting only small effect sizes. Fewer researchers have focused on the role of peer influences and peer competition on female body dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the relation between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders may be more complex than is often implied in the media effects literature. Links between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders may be overstated, and some eating disorders, primarily anorexia nervosa, may not always be motivated primarily by body dissatisfaction. The current paper discusses these issues from an evolutionary perspective, examining how sociocultural forces influence the intensity of female competition and how such competition effects body dissatisfaction.
Collapse
|
24
|
|
25
|
Dixson BJ, Sagata K, Linklater WL, Dixson AF. Male preferences for female waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2010; 141:620-5. [PMID: 19927356 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
One hundred men, living in three villages in a remote region of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea were asked to judge the attractiveness of photographs of women who had undergone micrograft surgery to reduce their waist-to-hip ratios (WHRs). Micrograft surgery involves harvesting adipose tissue from the waist and reshaping the buttocks to produce a low WHR and an "hourglass" female figure. Men consistently chose postoperative photographs as being more attractive than preoperative photographs of the same women. Some women gained, and some lost weight, postoperatively, with resultant changes in body mass index (BMI). However, changes in BMI were not related to men's judgments of attractiveness. These results show that the hourglass female figure is rated as attractive by men living in a remote, indigenous community, and that when controlling for BMI, WHR plays a crucial role in their attractiveness judgments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby J Dixson
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Brooks R, Shelly JP, Fan J, Zhai L, Chau DKP. Much more than a ratio: multivariate selection on female bodies. J Evol Biol 2010; 23:2238-2248. [PMID: 20840313 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02088.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Studies of the attractiveness of female bodies have focussed strongly on the waist, hips and bust, but sexual selection operates on whole phenotypes rather than the relative proportions of just two or three body parts. Here, we use body scanners to extract computer-generated images of 96 Chinese women's bodies with all traits unrelated to body shape removed. We first show that Chinese and Australian men and women rate the attractiveness of these bodies the same. We then statistically explore the roles of age, body weight and a range of length and girth measures on ratings of attractiveness. Last, we use nonlinear selection analysis, a statistical approach developed by evolutionary biologists to explore the interacting effects of suites of traits on fitness, to study how body traits interact to determine attractiveness. Established proxies of adiposity and reproductive value, including age, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio, were all correlated with attractiveness. Nonlinear response surface methods using the original traits consistently outperform all of these indices and ratios, suggesting that indices of youth and abdominal adiposity tell only part of the story of body attractiveness. In particular, our findings draw attention to the importance of integration between abdominal measures, including the bust, and the length and girth of limbs. Our results provide the most comprehensive analysis to date of the effect of body shape and fat deposition on female attractiveness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Brooks
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Gallup GG, Frederick DA. The Science of Sex Appeal: An Evolutionary Perspective. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1037/a0020451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - David A. Frederick
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles
- FPR-UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, and Development
- UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Obesity. Current world literature. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2010; 17:293-312. [PMID: 20418721 DOI: 10.1097/med.0b013e328339f31e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
29
|
Nenko I, Jasienska G. Fertility, body size, and shape: An empirical test of the covert maternal depletion hypothesis. Am J Hum Biol 2009; 21:520-3. [PMID: 19402036 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.20938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
In populations with limited resources, high-reproductive effort may lead to poor nutritional status of the mother (the maternal depletion syndrome), whereas in well-nourished populations woman's body weight tends to increase after each pregnancy. However, in affluent populations, women's body shape may change due to mobilization of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from the lower parts of their bodies to meet the needs of the developing child (the "covert maternal depletion"). We studied relationships between reproductive history traits and body size and shape for 296 rural, parous women in good nutritional status (mean body mass index, BMI = 27.9, SD = 5.94), aged 22-85 (mean 47.8, SD = 16.34) from southern Poland. Body mass adjusted for age, age of menarche, body height, and similarly adjusted BMI were each positively related to the number of children born by a woman (R = 0.13, P = 0.02 and R = 0.13, P = 0.02, respectively). Waist and hip circumferences, adjusted for confounders, did not show statistically significant relationships with the number of children. Moreover, groups with low and high parity did not significantly differ in hip/BMI and waist/BMI ratios, which were proposed to be indicators of covert form of maternal depletion (after controlling for overall body fatness and age). In conclusion, parity caused a slightly higher body mass and BMI later in life. However, parity did not lead to covert maternal depletion, perhaps because women in this population have relatively high-dietary intake of PUFAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Nenko
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
| | | |
Collapse
|