Lack of sleep 'associated with childhood obesity'
Friday 27th May 2011
Children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight, new findings show.
Research published on bmj.com revealed a consistent link between shorter sleep duration and higher body weight in children, even after lifestyle factors were taken into account.
As part of The Family Lifestyle, Activity, Movement and Eating (Flame) in New Zealand, the weight, height, body mass index and body composition were measured every six months from the ages of three to seven.
Accelerometry was used to measure the sleep habits and physical activity levels and a dietary questionnaire was completed each year.
Each hour of sleep per night between the ages of three to five was associated with a reduction in BMI of 0.49 and a 61 per cent reduction in the risk of being overweight or obese at the age of seven.
According to a study published in journal Acta Paediatricia, a lack of exercise could lead to future heart risk in healthy children as young as nine.
Written by Martin Lambert
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