News

Increased sleep could reduce rate of adolescent obesity

Apr 09 2013...

Increasing the number of hours of sleep adolescents get each night may reduce the prevalence of adolescent obesity, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Results of the study show that fewer hours of sleep is associated with greater increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI) for participants between 14 and 18-years-old. The findings suggest that increasing sleep duration to 10 hours per day, especially for those in the upper half of the BMI distribution, could help to reduce the prevalence of adolescent obesity.

Full results of the study are available online in the latest issue of Pediatrics. Previous studies have shown that a correlation exists between short sleep and obesity, but until now few have been able to rule out other variables such as time spent watching television and being physically active. READ MORE>>

Obesity decreases physical activity

Mar 28 2013...

Physical activity and its relation to obesity has been studied for decades by researchers; however, almost no one has studied the reverse – obesity’s effect on physical activity.

So BYU exercise science professor Larry Tucker decided to look at the other side of the equation to determine if obesity leads to less activity. The findings, no surprise, confirmed what everyone has assumed for years. READ MORE>>

Let’s move – and sleep – to reduce childhood obesity

Jan 23 2013...

The CDC reports that about 17 percent of children and teens in the U.S. are obese. In response to this crisis, many programs are focusing on physical activity. But a new study shows that physical activity alone may not be enough to reduce childhood obesity. Most programs that target obesity focus on activity and nutrition. But these programs may be missing a critical element: sleep. READ MORE>>

Cancer, obesity and sleep

Jan 18 2013...

The American Cancer Society reported yesterday that the death rate from cancer in the U.S. has declined. Most people are aware that smoking causes cancer. But you may not know about the link between cancer and obesity. Sleep also tends to be overlooked as a factor in both the obesity and cancer epidemics. READ MORE>>

Americans are overlooking sleep apnea as a health risk of obesity

Jan 07 2013...

Most Americans agree that heart disease and diabetes top the list of health problems related to obesity. But a new survey shows that obstructive sleep apnea may be slipping under the radar.

The household survey was conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. More than 1,000 adults gave their opinion about obesity and related health issues in the U.S. The results are presented in the new report, Obesity in the United States: Public Perceptions. READ MORE>>

Lack of sleep may cause overeating

Nov 01 2012...

A new study of 27 normal weight, 30- to 45-year-old men and women examined the association between sleep duration and hunger. Results indicate that increasing the amount of sleep that adults get could lead to reduced food intake, but the hormonal process differs between men and women.

Short sleep increased the total level of ghrelin, a hunger-stimulating hormone, in men but not women and reduced the level of GLP-1, a hormone that makes you feel full, in women but not in men, a sex difference that has not been reported before. READ MORE>>

Obesity crisis examined in HBO documentary series "The Weight of the Nation"

May 10 2012...

"The Weight of the Nation", a four-hour, four-part documentary was made in conjunction with the CDC's conference of the same name. The campaign is a co-effort by HBO and the Institute of Medicine, with support from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, Kaiser Permanente and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. READ MORE>>