Data from: Adiposity, compared with masculinity, serves as a more valid cue to immunocompetence in human mate choice

According to the “good genes” hypothesis, females choose males based on
traits that indicate the male’s genetic quality in terms of disease
resistance. The “immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH)” proposed
that secondary sexual traits serve as indicators of male genetic quality
because they indicate that males can contend with the immunosuppressive
effects of testosterone. Masculinity is commonly assumed to serve as such
a secondary sexual trait. Yet women do not consistently prefer masculine
looking men, nor is masculinity consistently related to health across
studies. Here we show that adiposity, but not masculinity, significantly
mediates the relationship between a direct measure of immune response
(Hepatitis B antibody response) and attractiveness for both body and
facial measurements. In addition, we show that circulating testosterone is
more closely associated with adiposity than masculinity. These findings
indicate that adiposity, compared to masculinity, serves as a more
important cue to immunocompetence in female mate choice.