According to a new study it might be more beneficial to let our children enjoy a lie in than to force them on to the sports field. The study from Université Laval in Quebec City claims to have discovered a direct link between obesity in children and the length of time they spend sleeping.
The Research suggested those children who spent less than 10 hours a night sleeping were 3.5 times more likely to become overweight than those who slept for 12 hours or more.
Four hundred and twenty two students, aged 5 to 10, took part in the study during which their height, weight and waist size were monitored and the results were certainly surprising.
The study established that 20 percent of the boys and 24 percent of the girls were ‘overweight’ (based on their BMI) and that the amount of time spent sleeping was the single largest factor in this. In fact, it had more impact than parental obesity, parents' level of education, family income, time spent in front of the TV or computer or time doing regular physical activity.
The results of the study are likely to raise some eyebrows. Time spent snoozing has rarely been regarded as beneficial to maintaining a healthy weight. In fact many people might think quite the opposite.
When we don’t get enough sleep the levels of the hormone leptin, which stimulates the metabolism and reduces our appetite, is reduced. In the same way, lack of sleep also increases the concentration of ghrelin in our bodies, which increases our appetite.
The study concludes that the recognition of the importance of enough sleep is imperative in fighting child obesity.