There's an inverse relationship between the fat around your waist and the amount of brain tissue you have. So, the bigger your waist, the less brain tissue. A study of 100 people in their 70's published by Human Brain Mapping found that obese people had 8% less brain tissue than normal weight people. Researchers categorize this kind of loss as "severe brain degeneration." Tissue loss was noticed in four areas: 1)frontal and temporal lobes, which are responsible for planning and memory, 2)hippocampus, which is responsible for long-term memory, 3) basal ganglia, which is responsible for movement, and 4) anterior cignulated gyrus, which is responsible for attention and executive functions. "Researchers suggest that maintaining a healthy weight through diet and regular exercise may help protect against age-related decline in both mind and body."