London, Jul 15 (IANS): Women now have yet another reason to shed extra fats as a study shows that those having wider hips are more likely to suffer from the problem of memory loss later in life.

A group of scientists in the US observed 8,745 women, aged 65-79, on the basis of marks obtained by them in a specific test.

Although all the women were classified as "cognitively normal", the results revealed differences linked to weight and body shape.

Test scores dropped by a point for every one-point increase in body mass index (BMI), a standard measurement based on weight and height, Daily Mail reported citing a report published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Being overweight was generally associated with reduced memory and brain function. But overweight pear-shaped women were more affected than "apples" with thick waists.

The experts suspect this is because of the type of fat deposited around the hips.

"Obesity is bad, but its effects are worse depending on where the fat is located," said study leader Diana Kerwin, from Northwestern University in Chicago.

Fat cells release immune system signalling molecules called cytokines that may affect the brain, the researchers said.

Different kinds of fat are known to release different cytokines that have various effects on blood fats, blood pressure and the way the body responds to insulin.

"We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and how it affects brain function," said Kerwin.

"The fat may contribute to the formation of plaques (brain deposits) associated with Alzheimer's disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain."

She added: "This study tells us if we have a woman in our office, and we know from her waist-to-hip ratio that she's carrying excess fat on her hips, we might be more aggressive with weight loss. We can't change where your fat is located, but having less of it is better."