Chubby cheeks – the beauty secret of Audrey Hepburn and Angelina Jolie

Chubby cheeks are the secret to a youthful appearance and attracting the opposite sex, according to new research.

Angelina Jolie and Audrey Hepburn

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons claims that fatty deposits underneath the face help to keep people looking young and beautiful.

Scientists hope that the findings, which explain why sudden weight loss can make people look older, will help them develop techniques to halt the signs of aging.

One suggestion is that fatty deposits are injected beneath the skin to plump up cheeks.

"From the irresistible urge to pinch the cheeks of infants to our admiration of Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Angelina Jolie, we've known for a long time that cheeks are vital to what we consider beautiful," said Joel Pessa, a surgeon and co-author of the study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the society.