Lack of Sleep Predicts Heart Disease, Diabetes Risk in Obese Adolescents

A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that obese adolescents who do not get enough sleep could be increasing their risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Lack of sleep and obesity have previously been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in adults and young children. However, the association is not as clear in adolescents — an age group known for both lack of sleep and also for a 30 percent obesity prevalence in the U.S. During the study, the adolescent participants were fitted with a physical activity monitor, worn 24 hours a day, for seven days, to measure typical patterns of physical activity and sleep. Researchers found that even after controlling for factors that could impact cardiometabolic risk — such as body mass index and physical activity — low levels of sleep remained a significant predictor of cardiometabolic risk in obese teens.  The results of the study suggest that objective sleep assessment may be a useful screening tool to help identify at-risk adolescents. However, the study was unable to determine whether lack of sleep causes cardiometabolic disease, or if obesity (or other factors), can cause sleep disturbances. To read more about this study, click here.