“We don’t know how waist-to-hip ratio represents ‘overall’ attractiveness, only that studies have found it to be related to judgments of female attractiveness, ” Plaut said.

"The orthodoxy says that you will be attractive with a certain waist-hip ratio no matter how the rest of your body varies," Prof Brooks told the reporters.

“The hormonal profile associated with high [waist-to-hip ratio] . . . may favor success in resource competition, particularly under stressful circumstances, ” writes Cashdan.