As men age, the decrease in testosterone levels makes it harder for them to maintain a muscular body (resulting in the 'Dad Bod'). In his book 'How Men Age: What Evolution Reveals about Male Health and Mortality,' Yale anthropology professor Richard G. Bribiescas, Ph.D., says that this "decline in testosterone may have behavioral, immunological, or metabolic effects that promote paternal investment.” In a Q&A with the book’s publisher, Bribescas explains: “This suggests that paternal engagement is important to any changes in testosterone. Caring and engagement makes a difference.” In other words, lower testosterone levels result in better, more caring fathers, which could be why 'dad bods' are appealing to a lot of women.
However, on the flip side, an increase in body fat (particularly belly fat or abdominal fat), excessive alcohol consumption, eating too much fatty food, and a lack of exercise also results in a high-risk for hypertension and stroke, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
In an interview with The Huffington Post UK, Dr. Helen Webberley from Oxford Online Pharmacy said while a “more cuddlier and softer” body may be more appealing to the opposite sex, it’s important for guys to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“As you get older, testosterone levels naturally decline, making men more cuddlier and softer, rather than pumped up, aggressive and macho,” she said. “The former are without doubt more appealing traits in a potential father making them more attractive to the opposite sex. It is however important to be aware of this burgeoning bulge which may be exacerbated by poor diet and lack of exercise, neither of which is good for general health.”
