Body Shape and Brain Function

Is your body more apple-shaped or pear-shaped? Where you carry excess fat effects a lot more than how your jeans fit and all fat is not created equal. The fat that gathers around your belly is called visceral fat whereas the kind that settles on your hips is referred to as subcutaneous fat. It’s widely accepted that these fats have different impacts on health; for example, people with larger amounts of belly fat (visceral fat) have an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. A new study reveals a woman’s shape may impact memory.

While belly fat is often labeled the bigger culprit when it comes to health, in this brain function study, belly fat proved to have some benefit. A little spare tire seems to be connected to more estrogen, a hormone that appears to protect from cognitive decline. But all in all, a higher BMI was linked to lower memory scores in this study. Pear-shaped women in particular scored low on memory tests.

So what’s better — apple or pear-shaped? Both are linked to health issues, so it’s really a toss up. Your best bet is to munch on real apple or real pears and keep your body at a healthy weight.