Women worry most when their chances of conception are highest; fears about appearing attractive at ovulation ‘drive women to eat less
London’s Daily Mail newspaper reported on the research of SMU social psychologist Andrea L. Meltzer, who was lead author on three independent studies that found biology isn’t the only reason women eat less as they near ovulation, a time when they are at their peak fertility.
The studies found that another part of the equation is a woman’s desire to maintain her body’s attractiveness, says Meltzer.
Women nearing ovulation who also reported an increase in their motivation to manage their body attractiveness reported eating fewer calories out of a desire to lose weight, said Meltzer, an assistant professor in the SMU Department of Psychology.
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Related links
- Andrea L. Meltzer
- Personality and Social Psychology: “A psychophysiological mechanism underlying women’s weight-management goals: Women desire and strive for greater weight loss near peak fertility”
- SMU Department of Psychology
- Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences
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EXCERPT:
By Sophie Freeman
London Daily Mail
A woman being off her food could be a sign she is hungry for motherhood instead.A study has found that women worry most about their weight when their chances of conception are highest.
Fears about appearing attractive at ovulation – as opposed to at other times in the month – drive them to eat less, according to the researchers.
The US study ties in with previous research that has found numerous subtle changes in female behaviour when fertility is high.
At this point in the month, a woman is more likely to dress fashionably, wear revealing clothing and have a roving eye.
Even something about the way a woman walks changes, with men finding her gait more
appealing when her odds of pregnancy are good.These changes were thought to be driven by biology but the latest study suggests that some women are consciously making an effort to appear more attractive at certain times of the month.
In the first of three experiments, 22 young women were asked when their fertility was high, and again when it was low, how much weight they would like to lose.
The figure was bigger when they were fertile, the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin reports. A second study looked at a larger number of women, including some who were on the Pill.
Read the full article, “Fretting over your weight? You may be ready for a baby: Women worry most when their chances of conception are highest.”
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