'When hunger makes everything better looking!': The effect of hunger on the aesthetic appreciation of human bodies, faces and objects

Background: Prior work suggests hunger may shift male preference toward heavier female body weight. This study tested whether fasting versus a snack alters aesthetic liking judgments for slim versus round human bodies, faces, and objects in both women and men, and whether Body Mass Index (BMI) moderates these effects. Methods: Forty-four adults (21 women; mean age 23.70±0.62 years) rated liking of computer-generated slim and round bodies, faces, and objects after at least 12 h fasting and immediately after consuming a snack (bananas). BMI was recorded. Results: Overall, slim stimuli were liked more than round stimuli. However, after fasting, round stimuli were rated as more attractive than after a snack, and this shift occurred for bodies, faces, and objects, indicating a general hunger-related change in aesthetic preference. Crucially, BMI moderated the effect: only higher-BMI participants showed increased liking for round stimuli when fasting relative to after a snack. Conclusions: Changes in physiological state and individual adiposity influence aesthetic appreciation, extending beyond human bodies to faces and non-corporeal objects.

Valentina Cazzato, Carmelo M. Vicario, Cosimo Urgesi