278. Children who sleep less than eight hours per night have higher risk of obesity
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Getting less than 8 hours of sleep each night increases the risk that children and adolescents become obese. In a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2022, Spanish researchers grouped participants between 12 and 16 years old into three groups. Those who slept fewer than 7 hours were labeled very short sleepers. Short sleepers slept 7 to 8 hours, and optimal sleep was 8 or more hours. Only 1 in 3 children aged 12 slept 8 hours or more each night, and that dropped to less than 1 in 5 by age 16. The researchers observed that getting very short sleep – less than 7 hours – was linked to a more than 70 percent increased risk of obesity or being overweight in children and adolescents, compared to those who get the optimal 8 hours.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
