Facts from external sources:
source: http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v35/n10/abs/ijo2011149a.html
-Adequate sleep is a critical factor for adolescent's health and health-related behaviors.
The study from Nature.com
Objective:
-to describe sleep duration in European adolescents from nine countries
-to assess the association of short sleep duration with excess adiposity
-to elucidate if physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviors and/or inadequate
food habits underlie this association.
Design:
A sample of 3311 adolescents (1748 girls) aged 12.5–17.49 years from 10 European cities
in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden was assessed
in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Study between 2006 and 2008.
We measured anthropometric data, sleep duration, PA (accelerometers and questionnaire),
television watching and food habits (Food Frequency Questionnaire).
Results:
Average duration of daily sleep was 8h. Shorter sleepers showed higher values of BMI, body
fat, waist and hip circumferences and fat mass index, particularly in females. Adolescents
who slept (8h per day were more sedentary, as assessed by accelerometry, and spent more time
watching TV. The proportion of adolescents who eat adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables
and fish was lower in shorter sleepers than in adolescents who slept ) 8h per day, and so
was the probability of having adequate food habits . Correlation analysis indicated that
short sleep is associated with higher obesity parameters.
Conclusion:
In European adolescents, short sleep duration is associated with higher adiposity markers,
particularly in female adolescents. This association seems to be related to both sides of
the energy balance equation due to a combination of increased food intake and more sedentary
habits.