EMR and Sleep

[Guest guest]

Sleep deprivation doubles risks of obesity in both children and adults

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/ne100000021440/

Research by Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick has found that

sleep deprivation is associated with an almost a two-fold increased risk of

being obese for both children and adults.

Early results of a study by Professor Francesco Cappuccio of the University of

Warwick's Warwick Medical School were presented to the International AC21

Research Festival hosted this month by the University of Warwick.

The research reviewed current evidence in over 28,000 children and 15,000

adults. For both groups Professor Cappuccio found that shorter sleep duration is

associated with almost a two-fold increased risk of being obese.

The research also suggests that those who sleep less have a greater increase in

body mass index and waist circumference over time and a greater chance of

becoming obese over time.

Professor Cappuccio says:

**The *epidemic* of obesity is paralleled by a *silent epidemic* of reduced

sleep duration with short sleep duration linked to increased risk of obesity

both in adults and in children.These trends are detectable in adults as well as

in children as young as 5 years.**

Professor Cappuccio points out that short sleep duration may lead to obesity

through an increase of appetite via hormonal changes caused by the sleep

deprivation. Lack of sleep produces Ghrelin which, among other effects,

stimulates appetite and creates less leptin which, among other effects,

suppresses appetite. However he says more research is needed to understand the

mechanisms by which short sleep is linked to chronic conditions of affluent

societies, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

Francesco Branca, the Regional Adviser for nutrition and food security in the

World Health organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe said:

**This is an interesting piece of research putting together different lifestyle

aspects with food choices. We need more research on the obese environment - the

integration between medical research and socio-political research is something

we should be exploring more.**

For a podcast by Professor Cappuccio on sleep which covers this new research go

to

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/audio/?podcastItem=sleep.mp3

Broadcast quality video footage on this story is available from Research TV

http://www.research-tv.com/ to view a web version of this footage go direct to

the link below and click the connection speed you want under the eye

http://www.research-tv.com/stories/health/sleep/

or further information please contact:

Dunn, Press and Media Relations Manager

University of Warwick Tel: 02476 523708 or 07767 655860

p.j.dunn@...

PR53 PJD 12th July 2006

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