Article by: Dr Zoe Arugay
I wonder what the confounding variable could be in this study.
A recent study shows that apple-shaped senior women - those who are well-endowed at the waist area - are mentally sharper than pears - those who have more cushion in their hips. This is raising eyebrows. Particularly mine. Particularly because I have the makings of a pear when I become a senior.
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| Angelina Jolie |
The only consolation I have is that this study has a long way to go before this becomes gospel truth.
Diana Kerwin of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and her colleagues published their study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on July 14.
They studied more than 8,700 women aging between 65 to 79 years old on the connection between obesity and brain function. Each participant was given a memory test, and the researchers analyze the correlation of their shape and height-adjusted weight, which is known as Body Mass Index (BMI), and came to the conclusion that as a woman’s BMI increases, her memory decreases.
Their results have lead them to hypothesize that pear-shaped women that the type of fat around their hips produces hormones that cause inflammation, influencing knowledge and blood flow to the brain. This is so because there may be some hindrance to the blood flow to the brain, thus, making it harder to memorize or learn things.
Aging is a traitor. What if I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a fit bod? Then, despite that fit body lies a dull brain, just because I chose to have a normal BMI?
Incidentally, current apple-shaped women include Tyra Banks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elizabeth Hurley, and a post-pregnant Angelina Jolie. They are all top heavy, characterized as large chests, broad shoulders, and their upper body is larger compared to their bottoms.
On the other hand, one only needs to look at Beyonce and Shakira (those hips don't lie!) and you know what pears are of. The telling sign that you are a pear is when you have wider thighs than hips. Other pear-shaped women include Keira Knightley, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Kristin Davis and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Photo Gallery:
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| Angelina Jolie while shooting 'The Tourist' |
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| Beyonce while watching a tennis match. Click the image to view more photos. Powered by: Picapp |
