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A good night's sleep can prevent child obesity
The Vancouver Province (Mon 05 Nov 2007 Byline: Mary Vallis) writes on reseacrh which claims the health of children who stay up past their bedtimes may be in jeopardy. A U.S. study of nine-to-12-year-olds suggests that children who do not get enough sleep are also at an increased risk of being overweight. Pediatric researchers at the University of Michigan also found children's sleep patterns in Grade 3 could help predict their subsequent weight: Those who generally got less than nine hours of sleep were more likely to be overweight in Grade 6, regardless of their weight in Grade 3 and other factors like race, gender, and class. While the study did not investigate the reasons behind the trend, researchers offer several theories. Children who are tired may not get as much exercise -- they may be more prone to watching TV when they get home from school. Or their lack of sleep may make them so irritable their parents offer food as bribes in exchange for good behaviour. The findings may also have a biological explanation. There may be a link between children's sleep patterns and hormones that regulate their fat metabolism.
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