What those curves mean: Brains are a thing of beauty

By JANE RIDLEY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, November 13th 2007, 4:00 AM

It's not only real women who have curves - it's real smart ones, too.

New research shows that those of us with J.Lo-style fuller, hourglass figures are brainier than skinny minnies.

A strange formula determines your smarts: The smaller your waist and the bigger your hips, the better your brain.

To score yourself: Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. If your calculator shows a figure between 0.6 and 0.7, you're super-smart.

J.Lo is the perfect example: Her hips come in at 39 inches. Her waist measures 26 inches. Her score: .66 - yep, right in the middle of the ideal.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California say the key is the fat that gathers around fuller hips and thighs.

Prof. William Lassek and his research partner Steven Gaulin say that this pudge contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the growth of the brain during pregnancy.

By contrast, the fat that collects around the waist is more likely to contain omega-6 fatty acids, which are less helpful in brain growth.

Scientists, who hail from the University of Pittsburgh and University of California and will be applauded by real-size women around the globe, analyzed data from 16,000 women and girls and found participants with smaller waists than hips were significantly smarter.

They also found they lived longer and gave birth to brighter kids.
Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz, a graduate of England's renowned Oxford University, is also curvy and smart.

If the old saying that a minute on the lips really does mean a lifetime on the hips, bring on that second helping of cheesecake.

Even better: The findings are being touted as yet another reason why men are more attracted to women with curves than they are to stick-figure femmes.

"Men respond because it's reproductively important," said Lassek, from the University of Pittsburgh.

It's long been understood that a curvy body was naturally more attractive to a man.

The assumption has been that a fuller shape meant a woman was more prepared for childbirth, and thus better suited as a mate.

As designer Bradley Bayou, who dresses celebs of every shape and size points out, the connection between smarts and shapeliness makes perfect sense.

"Ask them if they prefer the typical size-2 runway model of today or a woman like Cindy Crawford, an iconic figure from the early '90s, and they always go for curves," says Bayou, who is the author of "The Science of Sexy."

"Women who are not obsessed with calories and their bodies work harder and are clearly more intellectual," he believes.

"There is nothing more boring than a fashion victim who only cares about her weight and waist measurement."

And sorry, boys: The study, published this week in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, was carried out only on women.

Which means there's still no excuse for those love handles.


Jennifer Lopez: 66%


Beyonce Knowles: 71%


Salma Hayek 67%

http://www.nydailynews.co..._thin.html

I don't think intelligence has anything to do with size. There was a study out about 10 years ago pointing creativity to overly skinny people. I don't by that either.

Imago said:

Agreed.

And I'm a curvy, smart girl.

BTW, I didn't read your article. I just looked at the pictures. No offense.

0.75 so I guess I am not super smart. But at least I don't have fat hips .

I think it's a load of crap...

Serious said:

I don't believe any of this article either.

sextonseven said:

But you still posted it just to have a reason to post some sexy pics .

I wonder if you have to be "curvy" and also have a gorgeous face like these women do. Maybe it's their faces that are making them so smart.

Serious said:

You think you know me so well.

I would have posted the article without the pics because I think the findings are silly and other orgers should have a good laugh, but the pics are for people that don't like to read.

JustErin said:

Last night, I learned what a "buttaface" is. That's someone attractive from the neck down. "Everything's hot buttaface!"

JustErin said:

Last night, I learned what a "buttaface" is. That's someone attractive from the neck down. "Everything's hot buttaface!"

J.Lo is the perfect example: Her hips come in at 39 inches. Her waist measures 26 inches. Her score: .66 - yep, right in the middle of the ideal.

A think they need to do a study to see if sexy women do better on IQ tests while sitting on my lap...

0.75 so I guess I am not super smart. But at least I don't have fat hips .