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Babies Who Don’t Sleep Enough at Risk for Obesity
It’s bad enough to have a baby who keeps you up at night. Now a new report says that babies and kids under the age of 4 who don’t get enough sleep at night are at a higher risk for becoming overweight or obese later in life, according to CNN.
Oh great. Yet another thing for parents to worry about!
The study, published today in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that “insufficient nighttime sleep among infants and preschool-aged children may be a lasting risk factor for subsequent obesity.” Researchers also concluded that napping cannot replace the benefits of nighttime sleep.
“This is something we may be able to change to address the growing obesity problem,” said study author Dr. Janice Bell from the University of Washington.
Dr. Bell’s study, which analyzed data taken from a nationwide survey in 1997 and 2002, found that babies and kids up to age four who didn’t get enough nighttime sleep were 80% more likely to be obese five years later compared to kids who slept longer. Interestingly, the link between lack of sleep and obesity did not hold up for older kids (from 5-13).
It’s long held true that lack of sleep contributes to obesity in adults. Not only are you too tired to exercise if you don’t get enough sleep, but lack of sleep in adults has also been shown to decrease metabolism.
The researchers also note that while napping is good, it is not a substitute for nightime sleep, which involves “complex biological, psychological and restorative functions.”
The Center for Disease Control recommends that a 1-year-old should get between 13-15 hours of sleep (total). Kids 3-5 years of age need from 11-13 hours of sleep (including naps).
My fellow Strollerderby blogger recently wrote about how to get a toddler to sleep through the night on their own. It’s not always easy, but it’s clearly worth the effort!
Do you have a hard time getting your baby or toddler to sleep enough at night?
If you need some tips, check out The Babble Sleep Guide.
More posts from this author:
Girls Are Smarter Than Boys (Or at Least They Think They Are)
Do You Need Divorce Insurance?
Are Twinkies “All-Natural?” Sort Of.
Would You Spend $5,000 on Your Kid’s 1st Birthday Party?
Are School Lunches Making Kids Fat?
Should Parents Get Money for Helping Their Kids Learn?
Should Dads Take Paternity Leave?
Five Worst Fast Food Kids Meals
Do Working Moms Take Advantage of Work-at-Home-Moms?
Should Bars Refuse to Serve Pregnant Women?
Photo: flickr/Paul Goyette
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[...] but Why?Food ConsumerLack of Sleep May Be Linked to Childhood ObesityBusinessWeekdBTechno -Babble (blog) -Kaiser Health Newsall 113 news [...]
Nighttime sleep patterns in babies linked to later obesity – Los Angeles Times commented on Sep 07 10 at 2:06 pm[...] understand rising obesity rates–for example, as fellow blogger Paula Bernstein notes today, babies who don’t sleep enough are more likely to be obese too. Now we have to consider how the trend starts even before [...]
Too Much Pregnancy Weight Sets Up Babies for Obesity | Strollerderby commented on Sep 07 10 at 4:01 pm[...] possible explanation for the childhood obesity epidemic. Just recently, researchers found that lack of sleep could be a cause. Now a new study suggests that a common cold virus may contributing to childhood [...]
Common Cold, Childhood Obesity | Strollerderby commented on Sep 20 10 at 12:02 pmKatie commented on Sep 07 10 at 12:54 pmI think that CDC number must be off. 13-15 hours of nightsleep for a ONE YEAR OLD? I have never heard of such a thing. 11-12 hours, sure, but I have never met a one year old who would sleep that long. Are they supposed to go to bed at 6pm and sleep till between 7 and 9am?
Katie commented on Sep 07 10 at 12:59 pmJust looked it up, CDC recommends that a one year old get 13-15 hours of total sleep, including naps. That makes a lot more sense. My 18 month old sleeps 11-12 hours at night and 1.5-2 hours during the day. So, 12.5 – 14 hours of total sleep.
paulabernstein commented on Sep 07 10 at 1:11 pmThanks for the fact-checking, Katie. You are correct. I clarified in the post.
bob commented on Sep 07 10 at 2:03 pmKatie is a fine, fine person, and I regard her and her sweetly-sleeping offspring with a hatred that only abiding envy can engender.
Kikiriki commented on Sep 07 10 at 3:19 pmOh, Bob. You always say the nicest things! ;)
Kikiriki commented on Sep 07 10 at 3:20 pmAnd by “nice” I mean things that routinely make me snort whatever I’m drinking out my nose – in this case, ginger ale. I’m in pain because of you, Bob.
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