Jessica Ennis has the most desirable celebrity body

by Taryn Davies | 17 October 2012

Jessica Ennis' figure has become something of a desire for women

Olympic-fever is still alive and kicking it would seem, with new research revealing that Jessica Ennis has the most desirable celebrity body.

The Olympic golden girl beat the likes of Kelly Brook and Kim Kardashian to top the national poll.

According to a survey conducted by Bootcamp company Lifestyle247, a strong, athletic female physique is now the top figure admired and lusted after by women and men alike – with Jessica gaining the most votes when respondents were asked to select their most desirable and aspirational celebrity figures.

A staggering 72 per cent of women polled admitted they wished their figure was more athletic with over a third of women going as far to say they felt ‘repulsed’ at the site of super-skinny celebrities in the media – indicating a backlash over unrealistic and unhealthy body ideals and a surge in popularity of a ‘strong is sexy’ mentality.

Yasmin Mohammed, founder of Lifestyle 247 Bootcamps, said:

“We have noticed our female clients are more focused on toning and sculpting their bodies as opposed to just losing weight and many commented on how desirable Jessica Ennis’ body was during the Olympics – the most enviable body part being her abs!

“Not only have the Olympics and Paralympics shifted disability and gender perceptions - this has been the first Games in which women could compete in every sport and there were more women in Team GB than ever before - but they also seem to have given us a new generation of role models to aspire to, whose bodies are admired for their physical strength and ability and not solely on their visual appearance.”

The male respondents supported this emerging trend; with 81 per cent men polled revealing they’d rather date an athletic woman than someone skinny.

Olympic fever also caused a surge in the British public looking to train like their favourite athletes, with 71 per cent of those polled revealing they felt more inspired to get fit due to the Olympics and Paralympics.

Top celebrity bodies, according to poll: