Women notice more things than men think they do on their first dates, from untrimmed nails and a poorly coordinated outfit to a scruffy beard.[Photo/IC]

The report also found that singles, men and women, are very critical of their appearance. Only 38 percent of men and 39 percent of women are happy with their bodies. In Beijing and Shanghai, as many as 70 percent of men are unsatisfied with their figure.

Although most men were not happy with their bodies, they were not as motivated as women to improve their body shape, Zhang said. She believes that women are more emotional than men in a relationship, and are more willing to show their best to their dates.

The top two reasons for single men and women to lose weight are staying healthy and looking better. About 10 percent believe they could increase their chance of finding a partner by losing weight.

According to Zhang, people are becoming more and more critical about each other's appearance in relationships. "Besides material possessions wants such as having houses and cars, many people's requirements are now expanding to appearance, height, weight and even hairstyle," she said. "And in terms of image, men are more critical than women."