Now, new research from Brigham Young University has found that insufficient sleep also increases the risk of weight gain and other cardiometabolic diseases in teens, including high school students.
Does insufficient sleep make teens more susceptible to weight gain
Teenagers have poor dietary habits when they sleep less, making them more likely to gain weight.
The study, conducted at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, US, was recently published in the medical journal. Sleep, The United States National Institutes of Health (USNIH) supported the research.
Dr. Cara Duracio, lead author of the study, said that less sleep increases the risk for teens eating more carbohydrates and added sugars and drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages when they are getting a healthy amount of sleep, as per a statement released. According to Brigham Young University.
Researchers analyzed the sleeping and eating patterns of 93 adolescents during the two sleep positions as part of the study. One condition was to spend six and a half hours in bed every night for a week, which is called short sleep. The second condition was to spend nine and a half hours in bed every night for another week, which is called healthy sleep.
The scientists measured caloric intake, macronutrient content, types of food and the glycemic load of the foods the teens ate.
The study found that teens with less sleep who consumed more foods were more likely to cause blood sugar to rise faster. For example, foods that are high in carbs and contain sugar, or sugary drinks, cause a rapid rise in blood sugar in teens who consume large amounts in less sleep than in those who are in healthy sleep. We do.
Most of the changes happened late in the evening. Also, teens who slept less ate fewer fruits and vegetables throughout the day than those who slept healthier.
Duraccio said that getting less sleep doesn’t lead teens to have healthier sleep than their peers to eat more. They noted that both groups consumed roughly the same amount of calories from food, with the difference being that teens tended to eat more junk due to insufficient sleep.
Researchers suspected that tired teens are looking for a quick burst of energy so they can go to bed. As a result, they are looking for foods that are high in carbohydrates and added sugars, Duracio explained.
The study found that teens with less sleep consumed 12 extra grams of sugar per day.
Most teens don’t get enough sleep during 180 nights of a school year
Since most teens don’t get enough sleep during 180 nights of the school year, an additional intake of 12 grams of added sugar each day can lead to more than 4.5 pounds of added sugar each year, the study noted.
Duraccio said getting adequate and sound sleep should be at the forefront of researchers’ efforts to discover preventive strategies or interventions for optimal weight gain in adolescents.
Why is it hard for teens to set a healthy sleep schedule?
It’s difficult for teens to maintain a healthy sleep schedule, as teens engage in rigorous academic schedules and too many extra-curricular activities, according to Duracio. Combined with the starting times for school, these rigorous schedules have resulted in a pattern of sleeping at low and wrong times.
Duracchio said it’s human nature to think that when we have a long to-do list, sleep should be the first thing or the easiest cut out. However, people don’t believe that getting enough sleep helps them better complete their to-do list, she said.
Duraccio explained that sleep health should be included in all prevention and intervention modules for child safety.
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