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Sexy Is Healthy

If you think women with the belle-curve are sexy, you are not being sexist. You actually have an “evolved sense of beauty.” You see, “Waist size is the only scientifically documented visible body part that conveys reliable information about reproductive age, sex hormone profile and risk for major diseases.”

What’s more, say a team of researchers led by University of Texas’ Devendra Singh, this is not a modern Western discovery, but can be traced as far back as 16th century Britain, fourth century China and first century India. In fact, there is even a celebratory hreference to the hour glass shape in second century B.C. on Egyptian Queen Nefertari’s epitaph, whose “buttocks are full, but her waist is narrow.”

Their research, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society – let’s bow to that – studied British literature from the 16th to 18th century for hreferences to the female anatomy: breasts, hips, buttocks, legs, thighs, etc. Breasts, waist and thighs had the strongest romantic appeal. But whereas it was roundness rather than the size of the breast that enraptured writers of the period, the verdict on the waist was unambiguous: “the narrow waist has a universal and timeless appeal.”

The researchers’ analysis of the Mahabharata and Ramayana found that all 35 hreferences in them celebrated slender waists, such as in this quote in the Mahabharata – “accept this slender-waisted damsel for thy spouse.” The epics apparently also approved of “full and round” hips and breasts and “tapering” thighs.

The researchers conclude: “This body part – a known marker of health and fertility – is a core feature of feminine beauty that transcends ethnic morphological differences and cultures.”

Well not quite. The British seem to be partial to the breast, waist, thighs and legs in that order. By contrast, Indians rank the female anatomy as waist, hip, buttock and breast.  Makes sense, doesn’t it? The Western mind is linear – goes down the body sequentially. By contrast, we Indians are free floating. Come on, move that butt, will you?

REFERENCES TO BODY PARTS IN MAHABHARATA AND RAMAYANA
Body Part References Romantic References
Waist  44 37
Breasts  34 11
Buttocks 18 6
Hips  40  21
Thighs 12 7
Legs  0
Plump 0 0
Slim  2

 MOST ROMANTIC BODY PART

Indian Literature
Waist
Hips
Buttocks
Breasts
British Literature
Breasts
Waist
Thighs
Legs

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