A recent survey has found that the majority of people prefer a so-called "dad bod" to bulging pecs and rippling abs.

We all know that looks are entirely subjective and that what we find attractive as a society is in constant flux.

But it turns that more of us are drawn to a softer belly on a man as opposed to the classic washboard abs that we are bombarded with in the media.

This might comes as a surprise to some of you given that a number of male celebrities including Leonard DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Seth Rogen have hit headlines and been mocked in the past for their own "dad bods".

And yet, Dating.com conducted a survey in which 75% of its participants admitted to being more attracted to a rounder figure than a muscly one.

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In comparison, just 15% of the respondents revealed that they fall weak at the knees for bodies that resembled Barbie and Ken dolls.

According to the survey, 20% of the applicants maintained that looks were not hugely important to them and that personality was more of a priority when it comes to dating.

Of the respondents who said they themselves had a dad body, 45% stated that they like to put #dadbod in their online dating bios to show pride in their bodies.

"Very fit and in shape bodies are seen as ideal when it comes to attracting a partner, however, the users of Dating.com just proved that isn’t always the case when it comes to real-life romances," said Maria Sullivan, vice-president of the dating website.

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Sullivan added: "Movies and TV shows tend to promote ‘Barbie and Ken’ body types, giving people the idea they need to look similar in order to find their match. We are happy to confirm that is not how the real world really operates."

Despite the fact that their preferences were in favor of dad bods, many of those who took part in the survey said they were now working out to get into shape for the summer.

In fact, a huge 70% of them said they had started working out or going to the gym more in recent months.

And 38% said that they had just joined a gym in the hope of improving their fitness but have not yet started their workout regime.

Featurd image credit: Ullrich Gnoth / Alamy Stock Photo

75% of people prefer a 'dad bod' over a toned physique, survey finds