Written by: Eman Musleh, University of Jordan
Childhood obesity is a complex health problem that has severe consequences for both the individual and society. Discovering the risk factors associated with being overweight is the key to providing appropriate prevention and treatment.
The majority of research on the relationship between sleep and children obesity has focused on sleep duration. However, according to a scientific study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, sleep time is the main factor in the risk of developing obesity, regardless of the sleep duration. It was found that there is a strong relationship between bedtime and daily lifestyle behaviors in children’s weight gain.
The study was conducted on a number of primary school students aged 6 to 10 years old, and the results showed that bedtime, television exposure, and dinner time are associated with weight gain.
The study indicated that late bedtime increases the chances of weight gain. A higher body mass index (BMIs) was observed in the group of children who slept after 8:30 pm compared to children who slept before that, although both groups had the same sleep duration.
Delayed sleep timing was closely related to some behaviors that may increase the risk of obesity. Children with late bedtime may tend to have a late dinner and watch television for longer periods of time.
Besides sleeping late, prolonged exposure to TV screens contributes to weight gain. Children who did not go to bed early and watched TV for more than an hour had higher BMIs than those who watched TV for less than half an hour. Excessive sitting in front of the TV screen leads to a decrease in the rate of the body’s energy consumption as a result of lack of physical activity, which in turn leads to an increase in the chances of obesity.
Also, it was found a relationship between late dinner and obesity. It was noted that children who ate dinner late and then went to sleep had higher body mass indexes (BMIs).
These wrong behaviors don’t only lead to the risk of weight gain, but also to an increase in blood sugar level, high blood pressure, and fat storage. Therefore, it is recommended to follow a balanced lifestyle by sleeping early, reducing the hours of watching TV, and eating dinner full of the necessary nutrients before bedtime.
Source:
https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/epdf/10.5664/jcsm.8080
