Tahlequah Daily Press

Features

November 17, 2009

More sleep may fight childhood obesity



Most Saturday mornings, parents are banging on walls when the clock strikes noon and the children have yet to rise. The parents don’t want their children to grow to be lazy or sleep the day away.

But there may be a very good reason to let them sleep in. It could help fight fat.

According to the HealthDay Reporter, researchers in Hong Kong found that children who got less sleep had a tendency to be heavier than children who slept more – at least, when calculated by body mass index or BMI.

But the children who slept less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, and who made up for it on the weekends and holidays, were significantly less likely to be overweight or obese.

Rhonnie Kerns, director of child nutrition for Tahlequah Public Schools, said she couldn’t comment on the study, considering she had never heard of it.

But Heather Winn of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service said moderation is key.

“I let mine [children] sleep in if they have had a very busy week or if they were up a little late,” she said. “But your calories in have to equal the calories out, or you will gain weight.

Winn said adequate sleep is important for children, as well as adults. But she thinks it’s the lifestyle pace to which Americans are accustomed is the culprit for weight gain and obesity.

“I know in our fast-paced society, we don’t eat right,” she said. “Typically when we eat fast food and aren’t exercising as much as we could to lose the calories, we are going to gain weight.”

Winn said she isn’t sure getting more sleep is the answer to fighting fat, though.

“I think moderation is key,” she said.

The researchers in the study didn’t determine why obese and overweight children were not as likely to sleep late on holidays or weekends, but they did notices the children spend more time doing home work and watching TV than the normal weight children.

And this brings the point back to Winn’s suggestion, that there just isn’t enough physical activity.

According to the story on Yahoo.com, the researchers urged extreme caution in the interpretation of their findings citing “an irregular sleep-wake schedule and insufficient sleep among school-aged children and adolescents has been documented with a variety of serious repercussions, including increased daytime sleepiness, academic difficulties, and mood and behavioral problems.”

But the exact link between lack of sleep and obesity is unclear, said Mary A. Carskadon, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School in Providence, R.I.

“Evidence has shown there are changes in satiety and in levels of the hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin,” Carskadon said. “But there’s also evidence that kids who are not getting enough sleep get less physical activity, perhaps simply because they’re too tired. It’s just not cut-and-dried.”

And theory is a popular one. WebMD has a story on its website, also citing sleep studies done on more than 8,000 people.

The findings in that report are based on information gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NAHNES I).

James Gangwisch, Ph.D., with the Columbia University, said more work is needed to determine the sleep and obesity relationship, but researchers have some ideas.

According to a news release by Gangswisch, humans may have evolved to store fat in summer, which has short nights and a lot of food to prepare for the winter’s long nights, and historically, a more scarce food supply.

“As a result, sleeping less could serve as a trigger to the body to increase food intake and store fat,” he said.

Text Only
Features
  • jn biz expo 2012.tif Business Expo back for 2012

    After a successful go at last year’s inaugural Business Expo in Tahlequah, organizers are excited to bring the event back in 2012.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Pastor at peace with life in ministry

    With compassion and humor, pastor Charles Duvall has shared with couples how to find and keep love alive in their marriage for half a century, and he thrives in an area many people, including pastors, avoid – hospital and nursing home work.

    January 31, 2012

  • Reducing your home’s carbon footprint

    In a world of energy-driven daily comforts, being able to “leave no trace behind” depends on a person’s ability to mimic camping conditions in an indoor setting.

    January 27, 2012

  • Revision of rape definition more inclusive

    For years, most state criminal statutes defining rape have made the requirements for proving the crime very specific.

    January 26, 2012

  • Workforce offers veterans’ services

    The Veteran Services Department of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission wants to help its own in reestablishing life as a civilian after serving the nation’s military.

    January 25, 2012

  • Fields shares fond memories of Tahlequah

    Melanie Burris Fields may live in Bixby, but the Tahlequah High School graduate has fond memories of growing up in Tahlequah.

    January 24, 2012

  • ‘Pioneer Woman’ to host TCH Hearts of Gold Gala

    The Tahlequah Hospital Foundation has been hosting the Hearts of Gold Gala, a fundraiser that supports Tahlequah City Hospital, for six years.

    January 23, 2012

  • Library improvements in works

    When the newer section of the Tahlequah Public Library opened its doors in 1978, it offered patrons a state-of-the-art facility for the last years of the 20th century.

    January 20, 2012

  • ra Diesel.tif Dye makes difference in diesel

    When buying diesel fuel, it is important to know the difference between the dyed and clear forms of the combustible propellant. Not knowing that difference could result in engine damage, as well as serious financial consequences.

    January 18, 2012 1 Photo

  • Walker adds personal touch to teaching

    Cherokee Elementary School Teacher of the Year Tonya Walker married into a teaching family, both her in-laws and her husband’s siblings are teachers.

    January 17, 2012

Poll

Last year, Cherokee County was hit with severe snowstorms in the winter, followed by devastating floods in the spring. What have you done to protect your property, in case it happens again?

I've increased my homeowner/property insurance coverage.
I've shored up the construction (roof, windows, etc.) on my property, or added a storm shelter.
I've moved to an area I believe will be less vulnerable to bad weather.
Some or all of the above.
None of the above.
     View Results
Press Sports Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
AP Video
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East 2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3% Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths 'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy? Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
Stocks
Bedlam