Now, men categorized by 4 geometric body shapes!

A female body is classified mainly into four body shapes - banana, pear, apple and hourglass shapes.

Now, scientists have turned to geometric shapes to describe males as either triangle, rectangle, oval or linear.

If you are a triangle, with broad shoulders and a tapered waist like footballer David Beckham, 36, your figure will hold no fears.

Indeed, you may find yourself hogging the mirror for rather too long.

On the other hand, most men fall into the chunkier rectangular category, like Britain's Got Talent judge Michael McIntyre, 35. Beware of creeping weight gain, say the experts.

Oval-shaped men, like apple-shaped women, carry their weight around the mid-section. Think roly-poly comic Johnny Vegas, 39.

Linear Man, as epitomised by beanpole comedy writer Stephen Merchant, aged 36, is thin with narrow shoulders, waist and hips.

"Women have for many years been categorised by shape but nothing similar had been applied to men. Four distinct shapes kept reoccurring in the survey," the Daily Express quoted nutritionist Linda O'Byrne, who helped to compile the research linked to dieting, as saying.