Experts have determined why preschoolers are likely getting fat and it's not entirely because they lack physical activities. Researchers from University of Colorado Boulder said that sleep deprivation is a likely cause.
If the children lack the right amount of sleep, their body demands the consumption of more calories, which can lead to overeating. This happens when the children miss napping in the daytime or if they stay up way passed their bedtimes.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Sleep Research, indicates that kids who are sleep-deprived need 20 percent more calories than what their body usually consumes. To verify the hypothesis, researchers rounded up preschoolers who nap regularly during the day. These kids were then made to skip their naps for one day and they also asked to stay up two hours passed their bedtime. All in all, the kids were deprived of three hours of sleep and they were awakened the next day following a regular schedule.
Researchers found out that after being sleep-deprived, the preschoolers ended up eating 25 percent more sugar and carbohydrates, the press release stated. The next day, the same group of preschoolers were asked to sleep for as long as they want, which resulted in the kids asking for normal amounts of sugar and carbohydrate consumption when they woke up. However, their body still demanded 14 percent more calories, as it recovered from the differences in the sleeping patterns.
What the study hopes to point out is that sleep loss can also affect a child's weight gain or loss. Countless of studies have already implied how sleep deprivation can be linked to obesity in adults and it bears the same effects in children.
Experts have warned about the risks of obesity, as it can trigger the development of life-threatening chronic illnesses. Most recently, a separate study reported on Parent Herald revealed that if changes are not adapted, childhood obesity could affect 268 million children worldwide.
What are your thoughts on this, parents? Do you agree that proper sleep routines is as important to children as a good diet? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
