Children with regular bedtimes 'less likely to become obese'

Conclusion This study aimed to look at whether child routines and behavioural regulation are linked with child obesity aged 11. The study made use of data collected at regular home assessments for a large, nationally representative UK sample. The data suggests that inconsistent bedtimes are linked with increased likelihood of the child being obese at age 11. But before drawing firm conclusions about this, there are a couple of points to bear in mind. Though the researchers have tried to adjust for sociodemographic factors, there is a high possibility that this link is being influenced by confounding factors. The most likely confounding factors apparently missing from the analysis are diet and physical activity. It could be that inconsistent bedtimes are linked with less healthy lifestyle patterns in general, and together these all contribute to risk of obesity. It's very difficult to accurately blame a single factor such as sleep. Sleep routines weren't assessed in much depth. Parents were only given very brief options when asked if their child has regular bedtimes – "always", "usually", "sometimes" or "never". It's not always possible to be accurate and these responses may mean different things to different people. It also gives no indication of the duration or quality of the child's sleep. This study doesn't include any analysis of how the child's sleep patterns or behaviour have changed between three and 11 years of age....
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Obesity Pregnancy/child Source Type: news