Too little sleep may fatten kids
By Janet Raloff
As childhood obesity reaches epidemic proportions, parents who are concerned about their children’s weight might want to encourage an early-to-bed policy. A new study finds that among the primary-school set, losing sleep is linked with gaining pounds.
Earlier studies had correlated weight with sleep patterns but inevitably raised the question of “which came first, the chicken or the egg,” explains Julie C. Lumeng of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, who led the new study.