Are Dad Bods Still Desirable in 2024?

Discipline is great. Restraint is awesome. You know what else is fantastic?

A home cooked meal paired with a cold one as the sky turns dark and the day’s work is done. If made to choose honestly, most men are sure to pick that over counting their macros or obsessively tracking their gym progress.

Life’s hard, but its rewards are easy on the eyes and heart.

However, if delicious meals and drinks take precedence over everything else, there will be consequences. Top on that list would no doubt be the development of a dad bod. After a certain age, that isn’t just likely; it’s an inevitability.

Ever since the term was coined in 2015, both men and women have argued over the merits of dad bods. Those who have it either celebrate it or struggle to shed it in favor of the ever-glamorized six-pack of abs. Then, there are those who have yet to have it, but are already wondering if it’s worth all the work to avoid getting it.

Nine years after the world was first introduced to the term, it may be time to ask ourselves a very important question: yay to dad bods or nay?

Yay: In Favor of It

Whether you’re a literal dad or not, the relentless nature of life can get to you as much as it can get to anyone. Finding time to hit the gym isn’t always easy nor do many consider it to be as high on their list of priorities as it used to be.

There’s work to be done, groceries to pay, women to love, and kids (for those literal dads) to play with. If you deal with all this, you can say that you’ve earned a bit of slack over that rotund belly of yours.

Not to mention the fact that your wife or partner may not even mind all that much. Those with these kinds of bodies are often seen as non-threatening. Reassuring, even, in the way they’ve let themselves go a bit. A gut can be nice to cuddle with and is nowhere near as intimidating as bulging muscles.

Nay: Not In Favor of It

Of course, there’s no such thing as a universal truth when it comes to opinions. Everybody will have their preferences, so there will be those who may not appreciate a thick, rounding stomach.

Even bodies that aren’t seen as being ‘that bad’ can devolve even further. The concern of future health issues will pop up, particularly those related to heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

For those with an unwanted dad bod, there’s also potential self-esteem issues to deal with. Who wouldn’t develop a complex when the media still bombards us with ‘ideal’ body types. Fat Thor from the MCU only lasted one movie, after all. Then Chris Hemsworth was back to his usual god-like physique, to the applause of countless fans.

So, are dad bods in or out in 2024?

It may come with risks, but many would still agree to this day that having a dad bod is nothing to be ashamed of. Women still enjoy it and men can still enjoy their must-try dishes without too much guilt.