MyPetalz: LESS SLEEP, MORE TV MAKE KIDS FAT.

LESS SLEEP, MORE TV MAKE KIDS FAT.

Lack of sleep and excessive TV watching are increasing the ‘waist circumference’ of young urban children. A study conducted by a team of nutritionists at St John's Research Institute found that 22% of children between 3 years and 10 years and 15% children between 10 and 16 years are overweight / obese respectively.

The study looked at 8,444 children (4707 between 3 and 10 years and 3737 between 10 and 16 years) in Bangalore based on the frequency of consumption of certain food, physical activity, sedentary habits at home, sleep duration, watching TV, frequency of eating out, etc. The research papers were submitted to the Indian Paediatrics association last year.

The results found that increase in waist circumference (obesity) of children was directly related to lack of sleep, watching television while eating, snacking between meals and maternal obesity. "With regard to physical activity, increased duration of TV viewing and decreased duration of sleep contributed to increase in waist circumference in both groups of children. Maternal BMI (Body Mass Index) too was a strong contributor in both groups.

Says Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, president, Indian Dietetic Association, Bangalore chapter and chief clinical nutritionist, Apollo Hospital: “Lack of sleep adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Going to bed earlier will actually help your body maintain proper hormonal balance. Sleep loss is currently proposed to disturb endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis leading to weight gain and obesity. A reduction of sleep duration to 4 hours for two consecutive nights has recently been shown to decrease circulating leptin levels and to increase ghrelin (hormones controlling weight) levels, as well as self-reported hunger.”

The study found that decreased sleep was strongly related to waist circumference and likely due to homework, tuitions and TV viewing in older children. "Shorter sleep is a risk factor for obesity in children through modulation of leptin and grehlin," noted the researchers.

Explains Dr Rohatgi: "Too little sleep may cause weight gain by way of two hormones. Firstly, lack of sleep may decrease leptin levels in fat cells. Lowered leptin levels can block feelings of satiety and encourage eating more. Secondly, sleep deprivation increases ghrelin in the gastrointestinal tract, which stimulates appetite.