Chrissy64_uk
16-07-2010, 04:27 PM
Intrest story
London, July 15 (IANS) Women now have yet another reason to shed extra fats as a
study shows that those having wider hips are more likely to suffer from the
problem of memory loss later in life.
A group of scientists in the US observed 8,745 women, aged 65-79, on the basis
of marks obtained by them in a specific test.
Although all the women were classified as 'cognitively normal', the results
revealed differences linked to weight and body shape.
Test scores dropped by a point for every one-point increase in body mass index
(BMI), a standard measurement based on weight and height, Daily Mail reported
citing a report published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
Being overweight was generally associated with reduced memory and brain
function. But overweight pear-shaped women were more affected than 'apples' with
thick waists.
The experts suspect this is because of the type of fat deposited around the
hips.
'Obesity is bad, but its effects are worse depending on where the fat is
located,' said study leader Diana Kerwin, from Northwestern University in
Chicago.
Fat cells release immune system signalling molecules called cytokines that may
affect the brain, the researchers said.
Different kinds of fat are known to release different cytokines that have
various effects on blood fats, blood pressure and the way the body responds to
insulin.
'We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and
how it affects brain function,' said Kerwin.
'The fat may contribute to the formation of plaques (brain deposits) associated
with Alzheimer's disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain.'
She added: 'This study tells us if we have a woman in our office, and we know
from her waist-to-hip ratio that she's carrying excess fat on her hips, we might
be more aggressive with weight loss. We can't change where your fat is located,
but having less of it is better.'
London, July 15 (IANS) Women now have yet another reason to shed extra fats as a
study shows that those having wider hips are more likely to suffer from the
problem of memory loss later in life.
A group of scientists in the US observed 8,745 women, aged 65-79, on the basis
of marks obtained by them in a specific test.
Although all the women were classified as 'cognitively normal', the results
revealed differences linked to weight and body shape.
Test scores dropped by a point for every one-point increase in body mass index
(BMI), a standard measurement based on weight and height, Daily Mail reported
citing a report published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
Being overweight was generally associated with reduced memory and brain
function. But overweight pear-shaped women were more affected than 'apples' with
thick waists.
The experts suspect this is because of the type of fat deposited around the
hips.
'Obesity is bad, but its effects are worse depending on where the fat is
located,' said study leader Diana Kerwin, from Northwestern University in
Chicago.
Fat cells release immune system signalling molecules called cytokines that may
affect the brain, the researchers said.
Different kinds of fat are known to release different cytokines that have
various effects on blood fats, blood pressure and the way the body responds to
insulin.
'We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and
how it affects brain function,' said Kerwin.
'The fat may contribute to the formation of plaques (brain deposits) associated
with Alzheimer's disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain.'
She added: 'This study tells us if we have a woman in our office, and we know
from her waist-to-hip ratio that she's carrying excess fat on her hips, we might
be more aggressive with weight loss. We can't change where your fat is located,
but having less of it is better.'