Sleep Helps Kids Control Weight

My daughter and I always breaks our truce whenever I tell her to take a nap or sleep early. I consider it a great accomplishment if I could get my 4-year old toddler to sleep before 9pm or take an afternoon nap.

We, parents often worry that our kids might not be getting enough sleep. Sleeping has a lot of benefits and now researchers at Northwestern University has collected data on more that 2,000 children ages 3 to 12, and then again 5 years later. It turns out that a lack of sleep can contribute to weight problems in children and adolescents.

Researchers found that those who slept less, went to bed later or got up earlier at the time of first assessment were more likely to be overweight five years later. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that children aged 5 to 12 get 10 to 11 hours of sleep; and adolescents 8 to 9 hours.

(Child Development, 2007; 78:309-323)