Dad Bods Do Exist! This New Study Reveals It All

The dad bod has been a hot topic in the past few months, with commenters weighing in on every side from those who love the look to those who call the topic sexist. The term describes men's bodies that are a "nice balance between a beer gut and working out" — not your chiseled men from movies like Magic Mike. You may think the whole dad bod conversation is silly. After all, if a guy drinks beer, works out, and has children, does that automatically mean he has one?

Well, a new study shows there's scientific evidence to explain why dad bods exist, but it's known by another term — the "fatherhood effect."

Although some might welcome the extra pounds for that enviable dad bod, researchers warned that too much weight gain will have a negative effect on a dad's health.

"Fatherhood can affect the health of young men, above the already known effect of marriage," said Craig Garfield, lead author of the study. "The more weight the fathers gain and the higher their BMI, the greater risk they have for developing heart disease as well as diabetes and cancer."

So although some might cite the enviable dad bod as their excuse for welcoming the extra pounds, the research is clear: too much weight gain will have a negative effect on a dad's health.