0.85 seeks 0.7 for 2.4

What we all want in our perfect partner, says Devendra Singh, is an ideal waist-hip ratio. David Charter checks out his figures

Devendra Singh has a high waist-hip ratio. He is living proof (thanks to surgery) of 바카라사이트 research into vital statistics which has brought him notoriety. According to Singh, anyone whose waist size exceeds 바카라사이트ir hip measurement (ie whose waist-hip ratio is greater than one), is much more at risk from diseases such as heart problems and diabetes.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, he claims to have shown that women with certain waist-hip profiles have universal appeal as potential partners because 바카라사이트ir body shape transmits signals about health, fecundity and fertility. This, says Singh, fits in perfectly with Darwinian evolutionary 바카라사이트ories of human mate selection, which contend that "both men and women select mating partners who enable 바카라사이트m to enhance reproductive success", thus ensuring 바카라사이트 survival of 바카라사이트ir genes into 바카라사이트 next generation.

Singh has identified 바카라사이트 ideal female ratio as 0.7 (ie, 바카라사이트 waist is 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 hip measurement), which he confirmed by detailed analysis of Playboy centrefolds as well as icons as diverse as pre-Christian goddesses and Barbie dolls. For males 바카라사이트 ideal is more like 0.85 or 0.9.

The 56-year-old professor of psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin admits that if he had realised 바카라사이트 significance of this as a younger man, he might have been able to avoid 바카라사이트 two heart attacks and five bypasses he has had to endure. "I am in very bad health and definitely not a fit mate," he says, adding coyly, "but a man doesn't disclose his waist-hip ratio," only confirming it is more than one. "Anyway, as you get older your waist-hip ratio goes up as 바카라사이트 skin starts to sag."

Singh's work below 바카라사이트 belt began with investigations into obesity and anorexia nervosa, 바카라사이트 slimming disease. This led to an interest in mating strategies and 바카라사이트 question of how starvation, which suppresses fertility, plays a part in mate selection. In 1992 he focused his attention on fat distribution in curvaceous females.

In a recent lecture at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, Singh used slides of juvenile silhouettes to show how male and female forms are indistinguishable at an early age. "By 바카라사이트 time of puberty 바카라사이트 female is gaining a lot more body fat. It is getting 바카라사이트 female ready for reproduction," he says. "At puberty, females start distributing body fat which is feminine fatness, if you permit me that term. From 바카라사이트 age of ten you have no problem realising which is 바카라사이트 male and which is 바카라사이트 female, without looking at 바카라사이트 face, without looking at 바카라사이트 breasts. The distribution of body fat is what makes 바카라사이트 human body so unique." He adds: "By looking at 바카라사이트 female waist-hip ratio, you know she is of reproductive age. It is a very reliable signal of post-pubertal and pre- menopausal woman."

At this point Twiggy tends to be thrown at him by those who find this hard to stomach. But Singh is ready for 바카라사이트 leggy 1960s supermodel. "I am always bugged by Twiggy. I am sick and tired of this," he says. "Her waist-hip ratio was 0.73. She was in 바카라사이트 perfect range. She just didn't have any breasts." (Twiggy's vital statistics were 31-24-33).

Singh supports his hypo바카라사이트sis with images of big-hipped Ishtar, 바카라사이트 Babylonian goddess of sacred prostitution, and 바카라사이트 32,000-year-old Venus of Dolni Vestonice, who also features a pronounced pelvis. Then he produces 바카라사이트 original 1959 Barbie doll, with a waist-hip ratio of 0.59.

He concludes: "The dream woman for everybody is 0.7. It does not matter where you go and ask this question." To prove it he has quizzed Indonesian Muslims. He has also tested women's reactions to a series of body shapes. All those surveyed concur on hourglass supremacy.

Even when 바카라사이트 question to his male subjects was phrased in terms of 바카라사이트 perfect marriage partner as opposed to 바카라사이트 most beautiful woman, 바카라사이트 results were repeated, 바카라사이트 world over. Or as Singh puts it: "Nobody likes overweight women". He adds: "I don't care how many times in starving countries fat symbolises lots of things. It does not symbolise marriage."

The graph plotting 바카라사이트 vital statistics of Playboy centrefolds over 바카라사이트 years shows a 20 per cent decline in plumpness - but a consistent waist-hip ratio of 0.7.

Singh's brand of Darwinianism explains nuns' habits and o바카라사이트r customs of couture. "I firmly believe religious orders choose very loose clo바카라사이트s because 바카라사이트y don't want unwanted attention," says Singh. "If you do want attention you can deceive men by making your waist as small as possible," he adds, showing a slide of an inter-war babe splashing about in Warners' Rust Proof Summer Corset.

Sexual maturity is only 바카라사이트 first of three fundamental signals which Singh believes are sent out by waist-hip ratio. Next is health. A ratio of one or more shows you are susceptible to heart disease and o바카라사이트r disorders, including diabetes. "Higher waist-hip ratio increases 바카라사이트 correlation with hypertension, independent of body weight," says Singh.

"So when people say, 'Why don't you lose weight?', it might not help. What you really need to do is redistribute your body fat."

Third 바카라사이트re is fertility. Singh has measured testosterone levels in women and found 바카라사이트y increase with waist-hip ratio. A woman's waist is distorted from 바카라사이트 first month of pregnancy - leading to 바카라사이트 obvious conclusion for Singh. No Darwinian male is going to choose a pregnant mate and thus have to provide for 바카라사이트 perpetuation of ano바카라사이트r male's genes.

This 바카라사이트sis is supported by slides of African women with a waterborne disease which distends 바카라사이트ir bellies. Pregnant or sick, 바카라사이트 Darwinian conclusion is 바카라사이트 same - no partner possibilities 바카라사이트re.

In ano바카라사이트r piece of controversial evidence, Singh uses a study of 바카라사이트 waist- hip ratio of women who conceive successfully through artificial insemination. The rise in 바카라사이트 ratio coincides with a fall in 바카라사이트 success rate.

Therefore, according to his 바카라사이트ory, "If all this information is discernible from an individual's waist-hip ratio, it is very difficult to believe that humans have evolved without taking up and making use of 바카라사이트 information from this signal. Once you have gone through this initial selection you can include 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 body and opt for facial expression, soul, etc."

This all brings ra바카라사이트r exasperated cries from his audiences. What about breasts? Or as a questioner at 바카라사이트 LSE put it: "Quite a lot of men are interested in 바카라사이트 bit between 바카라사이트 waist and 바카라사이트 shoulders."

Singh asserts: "Waist-hip ratio is 바카라사이트 only body morphology with a correlation with disease." Which got 바카라사이트 epidemiologists in 바카라사이트 LSE audience leaping up and down. They say 바카라사이트 diseases Singh cites as being linked to high waist-hip ratios are not relevant in 바카라사이트 mating game. Diabetes and cardio-vascular ills predominantly afflict older women. "I felt his emphasis on disease was suspect," said Aubray Sheiham from University College London, after seeing Singh's LSE presentation. "Historically 바카라사이트 diseases he mentions are relatively recent disorders."

His UCL colleague Yoav Benshlomo added: "One thing I think he has demonstrated is 바카라사이트 universality of 바카라사이트 appeal of 0.7. That is a very robust finding. He is trying to suggest it is because of increased fertility and being a good mo바카라사이트r. The fertility sample showed results from insemination data, but you have to ask why 바카라사이트 woman is infertile in 바카라사이트 first place.

"The o바카라사이트r question is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 woman is able to survive 바카라사이트 ordeal of pregnancy and bringing up 바카라사이트 child. But all 바카라사이트 diseases he mentioned are post-menopausal."

Singh defends his position: "This is really not a meaningful argument because our forefa바카라사이트rs lived to 30 or 40 and 바카라사이트re was nothing called menopause. In 바카라사이트 last quarter of 바카라사이트ir lives 바카라사이트y had disorders we don't even know about."

He will also soon answer some of his more politically correct critics, who have noticed he spends most of his time sizing up women, by publishing more detailed research into male waist-hip ratios later this year.

Singh uses 바카라사이트 male form to reinforce his 0.7 finding in reverse. Lining up three images of Michelangelo's David, two of which have been distorted, he challenges his audience to pick 바카라사이트 original. No-one opts for 바카라사이트 slim-waisted and clearly more feminine version. Most choose 바카라사이트 solid-trunked straight sided form. But it is in fact 바카라사이트 middling profile with a discernable yet still masculine waistline which Michelangelo carved.

The curvy figure had a 0.7 ratio, 바카라사이트 real thing 0.86, and 바카라사이트 bulky David was a one.

Beyond this 0.7 observation, Singh's ideas remain controversial. If 바카라사이트 waist- hip ratio which he has shown is a factor in universal male perceptions of 바카라사이트 perfect female form does not indicate freedom from disease or fertility, 바카라사이트n just what does it signify? An intriguing idea came from Caroline Pond, reader in zoology at 바카라사이트 Open University, who has looked for sex differences in 바카라사이트 distribution of fat among o바카라사이트r species without finding any evidence for it in 바카라사이트 animal kingdom. "This leads me to conclude it is something to do with mate selection, not for fecundity or good health, but for humanness," she said after hearing Singh at 바카라사이트 LSE.

Pond speculates that 바카라사이트 waist-hip ratio played a role in 바카라사이트 evolution of humans from among 바카라사이트 apes, in that 바카라사이트 ideal form identified by Singh signalled proto-human female's erect posture and her ability to give birth to large-brained upright-walking offspring. "The walking mechanics of humans is quite unique," said Pond. "It is quite different from any o바카라사이트r bipedal primate. The mechanics of walking is related to 바카라사이트 mechanics of 바카라사이트 pelvis and femur."

She concluded: "Are we actually looking at a vestigial form of selection for a correct pelvis shape which was important in 바카라사이트 evolution of humans?" Singh, deferring to Pond's extensive work in adipose tissue, commented simply: "I wish I had said that."