14 DAY TRIAL // A study conducted by experts at the Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE) revealed for the first time an interesting connection between the amount of sleep children get each night and their total body weight and food intake. The study suggests this link is worth exploring in more detail.
The research group contained 37 children aged 8 to 11. Nearly a third of them were overweight at the beginning of the study. The research lasted three weeks, during which by rotation participants slept normally (1st week), more than usual (2nd week) and less than usual (3rd week).
During the week when children slept most, researchers found lower levels of a hunger-regulating hormone called leptin. The test subjects also weighed less on average, by as much as half a pound, and consumed about 134 fewer calories per day, EurekAlert reports.
“Findings from this study suggest that enhancing school-age children's sleep at night could have important implications for prevention and treatment of obesity. The potential role of sleep should be further explored,” says CORE associate professor of public health, Chantelle Hart.