As we continue hitting the Top 10 list of culprits of childhood obesity, we move on to number 6 -- less sleep. Over the past several years, several research study results have emerged stating the interesting notion that they seem to have found a connection between the amount of sleep that you get and a tendency toward obesity.
According to a study done in 2008 by researchers at Johns Hopkins, the results showed that children with the shortest sleep duration (less then 9, 8 or 7 hours per day depending on age groups) had a high of 92% risk of being overweight or obese compared with those with those with longer sleep times. *
In May of 2008, the National Center for Health Statistics and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reported " Sleep as a correlate between ... physical inactivity and obesity among adults 2004-2006" (among other factors also studied, but we will just focus in on these in order to stay on topic in this article). Interestingly enough, if you slept less than 6 hours or 9 or more hours per night, it was associated with less activity during the day. And concerning obesity, sleeping less than 6 hours per night. In both cases, the Ideal number of hours of sleep was found to be 7-8 hours per night for adults.
And, finally, the latest information June 2009 presented the the U.S. News & World Report and done at the Brooklyn Health Disparities Research Center in New York , provided a difference in race in rates of sleep-related obesity. According to the results obtained form this study, both black and white Americans who were obese tended to have short sleep duration. However, black Americans had a greater prevalence of short sleep and, thus, a greater prevalence of obesity (the study was done in ages 18-85 but information based on adult research may also be helpful in understanding childhood health).
OK, so now that I have all of this information, what do I do? How many hours of sleep should my child get per night? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides clear-cut recommendations and further reading of this article even provides practical recommendations for helping your child to sleep better and how to get a full night's sleep:
Infants up to 11 months of age: 14-15 hours per day, Toddlers: 12-14 hours, Preschool: 11-13 hours, School age: 10-11 hours, Adolescents: 9 hours, and adults 7-8 hours per night.
The reasons behind these findings are not yet clear and the authors and researchers are very straightforward in stating the vagueness of this relatively new topic in science. Remember once again that you are your child's most powerful motivator by your example in making your health and sleep a priority. And so it IS important to aim at getting those complete, undisturbed night hours ... the health benefits are enormous both for you and your children.
* February 2008 edition Obesity, the journal of The Obesity Society. "Is Sleep Duration Associated with Childhood Obesity? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis" by Xiaoli Chen, May A. Beydoun, and Youfa Wang.
For more info: National Sleep Foundation, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health,
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