Women With THIS Body Type Make Smarter Babies
Women With THIS Body Type Make Smarter Babies
Real women have curves, or so goes a popular body-positive saying. They may also have the smartest babies as well, according to a recent study that was conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California, Santa Barbara. This interesting discovery may help women to develop healthier body images while enjoying better pregnancies without the fear of suffering the stigma associated with normal gestational weight gain.
“Oh My God Becky – Look at Her Smart Baby!”
Sir Mix-a-Lot’s famous song, “Baby Got Back”, has dominated radio waves ever since its release. Celebrating curvy women with voluptuous derrieres may have roots in the science of biology and reproduction because the study discussed above uncovered a link between increased intelligence in children and the amount of fat deposits that women carry in their bottoms and thighs during pregnancy. These areas of fat contain high amounts of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3s, which contribute to neurological health. Researchers say this may be why men are classically attracted to curvy women.
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Fat Matters
As often as we are bombarded with messages about rising obesity rates and epidemics of its related illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, this information may seem contradictory to common health sense. However, this study emphasizes that fat deposits alone are not responsible for producing more intelligent babies. Instead, a big difference in a woman’s hip to waist ratio seems to be the deciding factor in regards to her fat’s potential for prenatal health benefits. A simple equation, this measurement is determined by:
- Measuring the smallest area of the waist
- Measuring the fullest part of the hips
- Dividing the waist measurement by the hip measurement
Essentially, women with smaller waists than hips seem to be at an advantage for providing the best nutrients for their babies over the course of their pregnancy.
Food for Thought
The benefits of possessing a healthfully zaftig figure don’t end at childbirth. This study has also shown that women who are endowed with an hourglass figure produce higher quality breast milk than do their slimmer maternal counterparts. Breast milk from curvy moms contained higher levels of essential fatty acids. These compounds are vitally important for a baby’s development in the first year of life, contributing to the proper development of:
- Brain tissue
- Eye tissue
- Nervous system
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Being Curvy Isn’t Everything
Thinner women who are hoping to conceive or who already are pregnant shouldn’t despair over the conclusions drawn in this study. While curvier women may have an advantage in terms of endogenous fetal nutrient sources, many other factors come into play when developing a child’s intellect. These include:
- Parental education levels
- Family finances
- Levels of parental interaction
So while curvy moms-to-be have further reason to rejoice after reading this study, any woman who lives healthfully and is engaged in the upbringing and well-being of her child will maximize her baby’s intellectual development. Hopefully, women will begin to shift their attitudes surrounding body image and learn to love themselves, curvy or thin and short or tall, and realize that they carry the amazing potential to create life.
www.blogs.unimelb.edu.au www.phys.org