Slim, attractive men have less nasal bacteria than heavier counterparts

A new study has revealed a link between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the amount of bacteria colonizing noses, suggesting that heavier men harbor more potentially pathogenic species of bacteria in their nose, compared with slimmer, more traditionally attractive men.

"According to an evolutionary point of view, traits related to attractiveness are supposed to be honest signals of biological quality," Dr. Boguslaw Pawlowski, said. "We analyzed whether nasal and throat colonization with potentially pathogenic bacteria is related to body height and BMI in both sexes."

103 healthy females and 90 healthy males participated in the study. Heights and weights were self-reported, while waist and hip circumferences were measured.

Six potentially pathogenic bacteria were isolated and identified from nasal and throat swabs. The results showed that 'colonized' men were found to have a higher BMI than non-colonized males, although no differences were found in females.

The study was published in the American Journal of Human Biology.