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Curvy Women Can Make Smarter Kids, Study Suggests

Curvy Moms = Smart Kids, Study Suggests

A scientific study has found a connection between curvy women and smarter kids, and it may explain why men are attracted to this body type.

Researchers have discovered that the development of babies' brains depends on fat supplies that are located in their moms' posteriors and thighs, and the amount stored there might directly impact a kid's intelligence, The Sunday Times reported.

"The fat in these areas is a depot for building a baby's brain," University of Pittsburgh Prof. Will Lassek, who authored the book, "Why Women Need Fat," told the newspaper.

The fat supplies contain a chemical known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which Lassek says is "a particularly important component in the human brain."

It's an omega-3 fatty acid that babies need for the development of their brains, nervous systems and eyes in their first six months of life, says a primer from the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The chemical is found in breastmilk, and it is also added to certain baby formulas.

Cambridge University reproductive biologist David Bainbridge pointed out that brain-building lipids stored in women's breastmilk largely comes from the fat supplies in their buttocks and thighs. He added men might be attracted to curvier women because there's a chance of them having smarter kids.

This is not the first scientific explanation for why certain men prefer these body types.

Research reported on last year found that when men are hungry, they prefer curvy women, because their shape suggests they have more access to food, The Daily Mail reported.

"If a man is hungry, they prefer slightly larger [breast] sizes and slightly larger [women]. If a [woman] is hungry they prefer more muscular men," University of Westminster psychologist Dr. Viren Swami said at the time. "These are clues about resources. If you are hungry you want resources and a partner who has resources. Someone who is heavier has access to food."

Meanwhile, a 2010 study published in PLoS ONE found that when men are looking at curvy women, it triggers parts of the brain that are also associated with alcohol or drugs, LiveScience reported.

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