‘Humanap ka ng panget, ibigin mong tunay’ actually leads to happiness, study suggests

A study done by researchers from the Florida State University might prove that that old ditty by Andrew E. is true, for women especially:

"Kung gusto mong lumigaya ang iyong buhay, humanap ka ng pangit at ibigin mong tunay"

Based on a sample size of 223 newlywed couples, Tania Reynolds and Andrea L. Meltzer found that "less attractive wives married to more attractive husbands reported more dieting motivations and behaviors."

The participants in the study were asked to rate their "their desire to diet or have a thin body" and the results revealed that women who perceived their partners as better looking were more likely to "inappropriately pursue dieting and a thin body."

The study suggests that the pressure to look good might be pushing women to extreme weight-loss behaviors that have been linked to psychological distress e.g. anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and general dissatisfaction in life.

“The results reveal that having a physically attractive husband may have negative consequences for wives, especially if those wives are not particularly attractive,” Reynolds was quoted as saying in an article published by the Florida State University News.

Additionally, they found that marriages "tend to be more successful and satisfying when wives are more attractive than their husbands."

The issue involves confidence in one's self, so to counter the pressure felt by women who feel less desirable than their husband, Reynolds recommends that partners take a reassuring stance.

She suggests "focusing on the ways they are a good romantic partner outside of attractiveness and emphasizing those strengths: ‘I really value you because you’re a kind, smart and supportive partner.’"

Reynolds shared that they are looking into studying the effects of having attractive female friends on women next.

"Adopting a dyadic perspective to better understand the association between physical attractiveness and dieting motivations and behaviors" will be published in the journal "Body Image" in September. — AT, GMA News