Kids who get recommended sleep least likely to be obese

Nanci Hellmich  -  USA TODAY  -  01-24-11 Parents, here's another good reason to make sure your kids get enough shut-eye: Children who get sufficient sleep are less likely to be obese, a new study shows. Other research shows sleep affects kids' academic performance, mood and attention span. For the latest study, scientists at the University of Chicago and the University of Louisville compared the sleep patterns of 308 children, ages 4-10, with their body mass index, a number that considers height and weight. The children wore special wrist-band devices for a week to track the amount they slept. Some of the kids had blood work done to look at their glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol levels, which are markers for the risk of type 2 diabetes and future cardiovascular disease. The study, out online today in Pediatrics, shows: *Kids slept an average of eight hours a night. This is far less than the nine or more hours recommended for this age group. *Kids who slept at least 9 1/2 to 10 hours were the least likely to be obese or to have unhealthy blood work. *The children who slept the least and had the most irregular sleep schedule (they didn't go to bed at a set time) had a substantially greater risk of being obese and having unhealthy blood work. *Those who got caught up on sleep on the weekends somewhat reduced their risk of being obese or having unhealthy blood work. *Obese children were less likely to get caught up on their sleep on the weekends. "Good sleep routines and sleeping the right amount is the best healthy proposition," says lead author David Gozal, chair of the department of pediatrics at the University of Chicago. About one-third of children and adolescents in the USA weigh too much, putting them at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and other health problems. Previous research shows that not getting enough sleep may contribute to weight gain partly because it affects hormones that control hunger and feeling full. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.