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Inadequate sleep can make you fat
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Inadequate
sleep is a risk factor for childhood obesity, especially among boys, says a new
study.
The research, presented at the Pediatric
Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada, said that adolescents who don't get enough sleep may gain weight.
In the study, led by Leslie A. Lytle, PhD, from the Center for Child Health,
Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute,
investigators collected data on 723 adolescents (mean age 14.7 years) about
how long they slept on weeknights and weekends, and how frequently they
experienced sleep problems. On three separate occasions, researchers also
asked the youths about the foods and beverages they had consumed the prior
day to determine how many calories they consumed.
To measure activity, participants wore accelerometers on their belts for
seven days. Unlike pedometers, which count the number steps walked, these
highly specialized devices measure movement on three different planes. In
addition, the wearer cannot see any data on how active they are.
"The use of accelerometers and 24-hour (dietary) recalls was unique in the
study of sleep and weight in youth and is a real strength of the study," Dr.
Lytle said.
Researchers also measured participants' weight, body mass index (BMI) and
percentage of body fat.
Results showed that shorter sleep duration was related to higher BMI. The
relationship was especially strong for boys and for middle school students
compared to those in high school. In girls, only less sleep on weekends was
related to higher BMI.
"Sleep has long been recognized as an important health behavior," Dr. Lytle
said. "We are just beginning to recognize its relationship to overweight and
obesity in children and adults alike."
-ANI / Times of Oman
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