Link Between Extended Or Shortened Sleep Duration And Weight Gain

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Article Date: 11 Jun 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Body Mass Index (BMI) varies as a function of habitual sleep duration, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Results indicate that twins who slept between 7 and 8.9 hours each night had a lower mean BMI (25.0 kg/m2) compared to those who regularly slept either more (25.2 kg/m2) or less (26.4 kg/m2) per night. The relationship between sleep duration and BMI remained after controlling for genetics and shared environment.

According to the lead author of the story, Nathaniel Watson, MD, co-director at the University of Washington Sleep Institute, in Seattle, sleep habits have a significant impact on weight and BMI.

"Findings of the study point towards an environmental cause of the relationship between sleep duration and BMI," said Watson. "Results were robust enough to be present when the sample was limited to identical twins."

The study included data from 1,797 twins, including 634 twin pairs (437 monozygotic, 150 dizygotic and 47 indeterminate pairs) and 529 individual twins with a mean age of 36.8. Habitual sleep duration was obtained by self-reported length of sleep per night and BMI was calculated by self-reported height and weight. Of the sample, 68.3 percent female, 88.2 percent were Caucasian. Results persisted in a co-twin control analysis of within twin pair differences in sleep duration and BMI.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, previous studies have also found that adults have a sleep duration that deviates from the recommended 7 to 8 hours a night are at elevated risk for serious health conditions. More information about the importance of sleep can be found at: http://www.sleepeducation.com/.

Abstract Title: Does Sleep Duration Influence Body Mass Index in Twins? Presentation Date: Thursday, June 11
Category: Sleep in Medical Disorders
Abstract ID: 0981

Source:
Kelly Wagner
American Academy of Sleep Medicine

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