Men with large feet are more inclined to cheat on their partners according to a new survey
Men with large feet are more inclined to cheat on their partners according to a new survey Reuters

Men with feet bigger than size 10 are three times more prone to having sex outside relationships than those with size seven to nine.

The study of 3,128 men matched men's shoe sizes against the percentage of men seeking affairs, according to a report in the Times.

According to the results of the poll by IllicitEncounters.com, a dating site for married people, 18% of British men have size seven feet and just 4% of them would consider cheating on their partners.

By contrast, there is a jump to 22% of men with size 11 shoes who said they were looking for a sexual liaison. The figures show a correlation between bigger men's feet and an inclination towards adultery.

The results also show that 16% of men with shoe sizes 12 to 13 would consider being unfaithful.

David Perrett, a specialist in psychology and neuroscience at the University of St Andrews said: "Body proportions are related and big shoes will likely mean a bigger, taller body. Body stature will relate to personality. Size will enable individiuals to dominate in social situations. Dominance itself may open opportunities for affairs."

One of the myths debunked by science is the belief that men with big feet have a large penis.

Researchers at University College London say there is no evidence linking a man's shoe size to the length of his penis.

The researchers said: "Many believe that the size of a man's penis can be estimated by assessing various other parts of his body, notoriously his shoe size."

But they added: ""The ability to predict the size of a man's penis by observing his shoe size is a common misconception.

Brahim Takioullah, 29, from Morocco broke the record for the largest feet on a living person in October 2011. His left foot measures 38.1cm (1ft 3ins) and his right foot is almost as big at 37.5cm (1ft 2.75ins). Standing 8ft 3ins tall, he is also the world's second tallest man.

The largest feet ever recorded belonged to Robert Wadlow, the world's tallest man ever. The American, who died in 1940, had feet that were 47cm (1ft 5ins) long – a UK size 36.