Adolescents who dont get the appropriate number of hours of sleep each night may increase their risk of developing obesity, according to findings presented at the Pediatrics Academic Societies annual meeting.
More than 700 adolescents were enrolled into a study in which researchers monitored sleeping trends both during the week and on weekends. Also, on three separate occasions, the team surveyed each participant about what types of foods and beverages they consume.
During the study, the team also asked the participants to wear accelerometers, devices that record the activity level of each individual, for one week.
The results found that adolescents, especially boys and middle school students, who slept less had an increased body mass index (BMI). Furthermore, the study showed that girls who only slept less on the weekends had a higher BMI.
Leslie A. Lytle, a physician from the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Childrens Research Institute, stated that “we are just beginning to recognize [the] relationship to overweight and obesity in children and adults alike.” She added that “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.”
Approximately 18 percent of all adolescents and teenagers in the U.S. have an abnormally high body mass index, according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention. 