Teenage weight gain linked to lack of sleep
24/10/2011
Teenagers who do not get enough sleep in their beds each night may be more likely to put on weight, new research suggests.
Experts at the Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Center in Houston, Texas observed the amount of time 255 teens were spending getting rest on their mattresses at night, while also recording height and weight.
According to the findings, male teens who slept less than seven hours per weekday night were found to have a BMI that was 3.8 per cent higher than those who slept for longer.
The same trend was observed in female teens, only the BMI rating was found to be 4.7 per cent higher for those who got less sleep.
"Sleep is food for the brain. When teens do not get enough sleep, they fall asleep in class, struggle to concentrate, look and feel stressed, get sick more often, and do not meet their obligations due to tiredness," said study author Lata Casturi.
Separate research from the University of Granada and Junta de Andalucia in Spain has found that teens who get more sleep are likely to perform better in their school maths tests.
Posted by Elizabeth Mewes
