Children with sleep schedule irregularity or shorter sleep duration more prone to obesity

Sleep disorders are well known to have metabolic consequences for adults, but what about children? A study just published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that suboptimal sleep timing and duration have adverse effects on the metabolism of children too that promote obesity and metabolic dysfunction. The authors state:

"The goal was to explore the effects of duration and regularity of sleep schedules on BMI [body mass index] and the impact on metabolic regulation in children."

The examined the sleep patterns of 308 children ages 4 to 10 for associations with BMI; fasting glucose, insulin, lipids (blood fats), and hsCRP (high sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker for vascular inflammation). Their data support the importance of sleep for the pediatric metabolism:

"For obese children, sleep duration was shorter and showed more variability on weekends, compared with school days. For overweight children, a mixed sleep pattern emerged. The presence of high variance in sleep duration or short sleep duration was more likely associated with altered insulin, low-density lipoprotein, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma levels. Children whose sleep patterns were at the lower end of sleep duration, particularly in the presence of irregular sleep schedules, exhibited the greatest health risk."

The authors' conclusion supports a public health effort to reduce obesity and metabolic dysfunction in children by promoting regular sleep schedules:

"...the combination of shorter sleep duration and more-variable sleep patterns was associated with adverse metabolic outcomes. Educational campaigns, aimed at families, regarding longer and more-regular sleep may promote decreases in obesity rates and may improve metabolic dysfunction trends in school-aged children."