Pear-shaped women prone to dementia

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While carrying excess weight had long been linked with various health concerns, a new study says a woman's body shape may influence her memory.

Previous studies have linked depositing fat around the waist with increased risk of vascular disease and inflammation, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The former is considered as the main factor contributing to impaired memory in those carrying excess weight anywhere in the body.

According to the study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, pear-shaped women -- those with smaller waists but bigger hips and thighs -- perform worse on cognitive tests.

Carrying extra fat around the waist, on the other hand, can protect women against memory loss, the study found.

Various types of fat deposited in different parts of the body release diverse hormones with varying effects on insulin resistance, lipids and blood pressure. Estrogen released from belly fat is believed to protect the brain from cognitive decline.

"What we found is that actually obesity in and of itself is an independent risk factor for declining cognitive performance," said lead researcher Diana Kerwin, adding that adopting a healthy diet and exercising can protect an individual from age-related memory decline.