The link between sleeping habits and obesity among toddlers

It has long been established that there is a strong link between loss of sleep and weight gain among adolescents and adults. Obesity is primarily attributed to one’s hormones and the body received mixed signals regarding hunger and fullness when it does not get enough sleep.

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A recent British study meanwhile shows that this link exists among youngsters as well, particularly among toddlers. The study, which focused on children age 16 to 21 months from over 1,300 British families, showed that those who slept for less than 10 hours a day consumed around 10 percent more calories than those who slept for 13 or more hours. The root cause, the researchers assert, is that the lack of sleep brings around a similar disruption of hormone levels related to appetite.

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The link may not come as a surprise for those who have experienced a similar pattern, but the study is revolutionary in the sense that it is the first one to do actual measurements on young children, especially kids who are 3 years of age and below. The study also took into consideration the factor of parental decision-making: the patterns between sleep and obesity among adolescents and adults are much more direct, because they are the ones who decide when and how much they want to eat, something that toddlers do not have as much control over. Thus, the link is not a direct cause-and-effect one, only one that brings up the possibility that children who sleep less may be prone to the increased calorie consumption, thus making them more prone to obesity by association, a possibility parents will have to be aware of.  

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Dr. Steven Farber is an accomplished physician whose expertise spans healthcare finance and management, cardiology, and internal medicine. Learn more about his stellar career here.