Gynoid fat is the body fat that forms around the hips, breasts, and thighs. Gynoid fat in females is used to provide nourishment for offspring, and is often referred to as 'reproductive fat'. This is because it contains long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are important in the development of fetuses. It is regarded as a physically attractive feature, serving as an indication towards a woman's reproductive potential.
Nude photograph of an anonymous woman from the late nineteenth century
The Venus de Milo has a WHR value of 0.76.
The waist–hip ratio or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is the dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips.
This is calculated as waist measurement divided by hip measurement. For example, a person with a 75 cm waist and 95 cm hips has WHR of about 0.79.
The Venus de Milo has a WHR value of 0.76.
Venus of Willendorf. The earliest known representations of female figures date from 23,000 to 25,000 years ago and had bodies with vestigial head and limbs, noted for their very high waist–hip ratio of 1:1 or more. It may be that the artists' "depictions of corpulent, middle-aged females were not 'Venuses' in any conventional sense. They may, instead, have symbolized the hope for survival and longevity, within well-nourished and reproductively successful communities."
