The debate on what an ideal woman should look like has been raging on for centuries. And don't hold your breath, it's not about to end soon.

This time, it's not rappers, poets, writers, and fashion gurus telling us what an ideal woman's body should look like, but scientists.

I know. That's rather unexpected, but science always gets an ear.

The Concept Of Beauty Has Changed A Lot

So, how can science possibly contribute to this debate?

For the longest time, fashion magazines have maintained the ideal woman as skinny. The skinnier the better.

But according to researchers from the University of Texas, the ideal woman does not exactly fit that description. Apparently, the perfect female body is 1.68 meters tall, with a bust, waist, hip size of 99, 63, and 91 respectively.

Getting the picture?

Probably not. But here's Kelly Brook, she fits this physical description perfectly.

If you had subscribed to the model of beauty fashion magazines give us, then you might find the picture shocking.

To Many People, The Perfect Model According To Science Has A Little Too Much Weight

In fact, when this woman wanted to take a shot at modelling, the talent scout told her she was plump.

But now, scientists say she is perfect.

So, what the hell is going on here?

How did the researchers arrive at this unexpected conclusion about the perfect female form?

Apparently, this body has all the important traits desirable in a woman. According to science, attractiveness is all about fertility.

And the curvy body type shows the greatest level of fertility in women.

The scientists might be on to something. After all, every creature on earth has a responsibility to procreate and bring up the subsequent generation.

The woman the scientists suggested is not only fertile, but she is up to the task of bringing up a child.

Science Has Previously Shown Men Find Women Who Are Fertile, Youthful, And Healthy More Attractive

But this happens on a sub-conscious level.

These traits are best represented in the female body these scientists suggest as the ideal. And it can be argued that sub-conscious attraction beats the persuasion we get from our culture.

And again, studies have proved that the likelihood of men from completely different cultures being attracted to the same woman is incredibly high.

Which makes us ask, where did the idea of skinny models being the ideal of feminine beauty come from?

First of all, understand that the industry that promotes this notion is trying to sell us clothes.

The Truth About Skinny Models

Jennifer Lee, who worked for Karl Lagerfeld, a top designer at Chanel, revealed models are chosen based on how well they showcase the clothes they wear.

Skinnier models have been found to do that better since their figure does not distract the audiences from the fashion items they wear. People can focus on the clothes and not their curvy or shapely bodies.

Fashion industries are in the business of selling clothes, not feminine beauty.

If you didn't know that about skinny models, I'm sure you are shocked. And this adds credence to the point scientists are making by saying that the ideal woman is curvier than your average runway model.

Do you agree with them or will you stick to the cultural perception that skinnier models are more attractive?