When it comes to attracting women, men may want to invest in a gym membership rather than bank on their bank account.

As more women become financially independent, they are less likely to seek mates with wealth and are more interested in good looks, according to research in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.

"When women can control resources independently, they can afford to have preferences more typical of males, to go for things like physical attractiveness and youthfulness," says Fhionna Moore, a researcher at the University of St Andrews in the U.K.

Moore found the change in preferences was linked to a woman's level of financial independence rather than to her absolute earning power.

Fellas seem to be getting the message, if the recent proliferation of men's fashion and fitness magazines is any sign. Says Moore: "All the men I know now spend more time on their hair than I do."

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