title: Visual exposure to obesity: Experimental effects on attraction toward overweight men and mate choice in females.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cultural differences in ideal body weight are well established, but less research has examined attraction toward potential mates of heavier body weights. We examined whether exposure to obesity increases physical attraction toward overweight men.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Studies 1 and 2, we examined the effect that exposure to obese vs healthy weight men had on female attraction toward an overweight man. Study 3 examined whether females who are regularly exposed to males of heavier body weights reported a greater attraction toward overweight men. Study 4 tested whether females in an online dating study were more likely to choose to date an overweight man, after having been exposed to obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to obesity altered visual perceptions of what normal and therefore healthy body weights were and this resulted in greater attraction toward an overweight man (Studies 1 and 2). Females regularly exposed to men of heavier body weight reported a greater attraction toward overweight men (Study 3). After exposure to obesity, females in an online dating study were more likely to choose to date an overweight man ahead of a healthy weight man (Study 4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to male obesity increases female attraction toward overweight men and may affect mate choice.
authors.affiliation: Psychological Sciences, Eleanor Rathbone Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Psychological Sciences, Eleanor Rathbone Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001504:Beauty; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010781:Photography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012928:Social Desirability; D012938:Social Perception; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*