Children with the worst symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing were at increased risk for being overweight, compared with asymptomatic children, Karen Bonuck, Ph.D., of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y., and her associates reported.
In a longitudinal study on sleep duration, sleep-disordered breathing, and body mass index in 1,844 children, those with the worst symptoms were at increased risk for being overweight at age 7 years (odd ratio = 2.08), 10 years (OR = 1.79), and 15 years (OR = 2.25). Short sleep duration at 5-6 years of age was associated with risk of obesity at 15 years of age.
“Our findings affirm the concept of healthy sleep … as a foundation for healthy weight throughout childhood and into adulthood,” the investigators wrote.
Read the full article at: J. Pediatr. 2015 doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.11.001 .
