By Staff Writer
Can teens gain weight from sleeping too little? According to a study by Dr. Susan Redline of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, teenagers who sleep less than eight hours a night are more likely to eat fatty foods and snacks, resulting in weight gain.
The Problem: Too Little Sleep, Too Much Junk Food
While researchers have long known that inadequate sleep is linked to weight gain, Dr. Redline discovered that the calories causing problems for American teens come from high-fat, high-calorie foods. The changes in diet that result from a lack of sleep can increase the risk of obesity, especially in girls, the study found.
The study followed 240 teenagers aged 16 to 19, monitoring their sleep and food intake. Although the study participants who slept less than eight hours on weeknights consumed just 2.2 percent more calories from fats, doing so over a long period of time resulted in weight gain.
The Solution: Make Sleep a Priority
The good news is that sleep-related weight gain can be reversed. Researchers discovered that each added hour of sleep reduced the chances of teens consuming a high-fat diet by an average of 21 percent.
While the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers get at least nine hours of sleep, only 34 percent of the study participants slept for an average of eight hours or more. Teens who are struggling with overweight or obesity may be able to shed unwanted pounds by sticking to a regular bedtime schedule and creating an environment that is conducive to sleep.