Children aged 9 to 12 who slept less than nine hours a night gain weight

Insufficient sleep can negatively affect preteens' metabolism as well as their exercise and eating habits, causing them to get fat, researchers reported on Monday.
Children aged 9 to 12 who slept less than nine hours a night were more likely to gain weight than their more rested peers, according to researchers at the University of Michigan's Center for Human Growth and Development.
"Many children aren't getting enough sleep, and that lack of sleep may not only be making them moody or preventing them from being alert and ready to learn at school, it may also be leading to a higher risk of being overweight," said Dr. Julie Lumeng, primary author of the report.
In elementary school, children should be getting 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
The findings were based on an analysis of sleep patterns and other data from a government survey of 785 children aged 9 to 12. Eighteen percent were overweight by the time they reached the sixth grade.
The 12-year-olds who slept less than nine hours a night were more likely to be overweight than those who slept more, and those who got less sleep at age 9 were more likely to be overweight three years later, the study found.
The impact of sleeping less was consistent regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status or quality of the home environment.




Recent research has shown that insufficient sleep affects the metabolism of the body which leads to over weight problem. Insufficient sleep can negatively affect preteens' metabolism as well as their exercise and eating habits, causing them to get fat.

The impact of sleeping less is consistent regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status or quality of the home environment.

A research was done by the University of Michigan's Center for Human Growth and Development and it was found that children aged 9 to 12 who slept less than nine hours a night were more likely to gain weight than their more rested peers.
"Many children aren't getting enough sleep, and that lack of sleep may not only be making them moody or preventing them from being alert and ready to learn at school, it may also be leading to a higher risk of being overweight," said Dr. Julie Lumeng, primary author of the report.
The findings are based on an analysis of sleep patterns and other data from a government survey of 785 children aged 9 to 12. Eighteen percent were overweight by the time they reached the sixth grade.
According to the National Sleep Foundation in elementary school, children should be getting 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night.
The 12-year-olds who slept less than nine hours a night were more likely to be overweight than those who slept more, and those who got less sleep at age 9 were more likely to be overweight three years later, the study found.