Obesity in kids and lack of sleep.... (weight, average, son)

[Jennibc]

Obesity and Sleep: Insufficient Sleep Linked to Obesity in Kids | Science | Epoch Times
I stumbled across this article and thought I would share it.

[Kibbiekat]

It seems more like a correlation than a cause and effect thing to me. I think families that have one unhealthy habit are likely to have others.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

It seems more like a correlation than a cause and effect thing to me. I think families that have one unhealthy habit are likely to have others.

I don't think so. When we first moved to a new time zone, my son struggled with sleep and his weight increased by 15%. Within a year, he finally adjusted and has now lost the weight.

[lucygirl951]

Well, this is hardly proof, but I've always noticed that I'm hungrier when I don't sleep well. Our bodies need energy from one source or another.

[no kudzu]

There are plenty of studies as well that show adults with sleep problems also tend to be overweight.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by lucygirl951

Well, this is hardly proof, but I've always noticed that I'm hungrier when I don't sleep well. Our bodies need energy from one source or another.

True, it's just anecdotal. But my point is that a kid can gain weight even if there are good health practices in the home. I was thinking about this when I read Nurture Shock and its chapter on the "lost hour." It says that kids today get on average of an hour less sleep than did kids in the same age group did thirty years ago. Childhood obesity has increased dramatically since then. Everybody thinks fast food is the culprit, but I am in my mid forties and McDonalds was around when I was a kid.

[Gottasay]

Obesity causes obstructive sleep apnea in many cases. Sleep apnea means sufferers don't get the REM sleep we all need as humans to get truly restful sleep.