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Weight Gain in Kids Could Be from Lack of Sleep

A Danish study suggests that children who do not get enough sleep is more likely to become overweight or obese than those who get enough sleep. 

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Kid SleepingThe study focused on over 350 normal weight children between the ages of 2 and 6 who were at risk of becoming of overweight due to a high birth weight, had heavy parents or came from a low-income family. Parents tracked how much total rest kids got, if there were naps taken, had difficulty sleeping or waking up and tracked food intake.

Those with the highest sleep variability consumed higher amounts of added sugars and sugary drinks according to lead study author Anan Rangan. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids at the age of 2 should get 11 to 14 hours of sleep while kids ages 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours. Children who slept more than 10.7 hours on average had significantly less weight gain than kids who slept less than 10.4 hours, the study found.

Read the full article here.