“Influence Of Sleep Deprivation On Obesity In Children”  

Chris Nguyen, is the Founder & Chief Editor at Sleep Standards, a health blog that provides research-based sleep health advice, actionable sleep tips, and unbiased sleep product reviews that aims to inspire better sleep and make the world of sleep easy to understand for everyday people, shared with Healthy Lombard that Obesity has become a global concern. In modern times, medical experts consider obesity a disease, causing millions of people to lose the battle against serious chronic diseases and die at an age considered too early.

Several factors have been found to play a role in the risk of developing obesity. Among children, one of the latest advancements in scientific research suggests that sleep deprivation might be an overlooked risk factor. We take a look at the impact of obesity on a child’s life, the risks that excess weight can cause the child to suffer from later in their lives, and how sleep deprivation may be making this problem worse.

The Impact Of Obesity Among Children

Obesity is a serious health condition that refers to excess weight in the human body. While it is relatively easy to diagnose obesity in adults, as this condition is classified as having a BMI that is over 30, it is not as simple to determine if a child is obese.

Still, it is important for parents to learn about the impact that obesity can have on their child, know when obesity is becoming a problem, and understand the potential solutions that they can use to improve their child’s quality of life.

Childhood obesity refers to excess weight found in children between the ages of two and 19. Thus, the term collectively describes obesity among young ones ranging from infants up to adolescents. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 18.5% of children in the United States are affected by obesity. The prevalence of obesity is highest among adolescents. Among those aged between 12 and 19, an estimated 20.6% are obese.

In children, BMI is still a calculation that could assist a doctor in diagnosing the child with obesity. It should be noted, however, that the same criteria are not used in children as those used among adults. A child is considered to be overweight when they have a BMI that falls between the 85th and 95th percentiles. At this point, the child is considered to be at risk of obesity. A higher BMI means the child has already become obese.

The Role Of Sleep Deprivation In The Risk Of Obesity

A 2018 study published in the Journal of Sleep looked at how sleep deprivation might impact the obesity risk of a child. Researchers from the Warwick Medical School, along with two other institutes, analyzed 42 previous studies that looked at sleep deprivation and obesity in the child and adolescent populations.

The researchers behind the study found that there is a definite connection between sleep deprivation and obesity. Results from the studies included in this research provided evidence of an increased risk in the development of obesity in infancy, early childhood, as well as in adolescents, linked to a negative effect on the sleep cycle every night.

Further research led to the conclusion that the duration of sleep in children and adolescents also seems to play a direct role in both BMI and BMI z-score.

How Sleep Deprivation Affects Children

With the latest research in mind, it has now been established that children who do not get enough sleep seem to be more likely to develop obesity or become overweight. This, however, is not the only risk that has been associated with poor sleep among children.

Several other studies have also shown previously that children who do not sleep enough are more likely to develop other complications as well.

Parents are advised to take note of the signs that their child might not be getting an adequate amount of sleep on a daily basis. The effects of sleep deprivation can be more significant among children, as many adults tend to “get used” to the impact that the modern-day may have on their sleeping habits (it can still wreak havoc on an adult’s health, however).

When a child suffers from insufficient sleep, they may experience the following symptoms and complications:

•       Absenteeism is more likely among school children who do not sleep enough, along with tardiness at school.
•       The child’s performance at school may also be adversely affected, making them more likely to fail at tests that they would usually get a good grade for.
•       Depression is a condition that is more common among children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep.

Chronic sleep deficiency in children may also put the kid at a higher risk of developing certain health conditions. In cases where the child already suffers from a condition associated with sleep deficiency, the effects of the disease may be exacerbated.

Apart from obesity, type 2 diabetes is another important condition that parents should take note of when looking at the long-term consequences of sleep deficiency in their children.

How Much Sleep Does A Child Need?

Parents often think that their child needs as much sleep as they do. Unfortunately, this is a common mistake that could cause the child to suffer from sleep deficiency. Children actually need to sleep more than adults – but, at the same time, they should not be allowed to sleep too much.

One study found that as many as 40% of children may suffer from some level of insomnia symptoms. Even when appropriate measures are taken, about 60% of these children may still continue to suffer.

The amount of sleep a child needs depending on their age. A child needs to sleep for 12 to 14 hours if they are between the ages of one and three. This amount of sleep is reduced to 10 to 12 hours at the age of three.

At the age of seven, children should sleep for 10 to 11 hours each night. Only when the child reaches the age of 12 should their sleeping time be reduced. At this age, eight to nine hours of sleep per day is considered appropriate.

Last Thoughts

Childhood obesity is a major concern, leading to the early development of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions at an early age. This puts the child at a bigger risk of suffering during their adulthood and can have a significant adverse impact on their quality of life. Sleep deprivation has been found to play a role as a risk factor for childhood obesity, affecting infants, children, and adolescents.

Check out SleepStandards.com to find out more about Chris and his work. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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